The R410A phase out UK rules are not a ban on running the air conditioning you already have. In Great Britain the rules stop certain new systems being placed on the market and reduce the amount of HFC refrigerant available over time. The government's guidance frames these bans around new products and does not say that installed systems must be removed. Climate Flow Limited installs, services and repairs air conditioning in London and surrounding areas, and this guide sets out what the rules say and what they mean for an R410A system on your site.
What does the R410A phase out UK cover?
The R410A phase out UK rules cover new equipment and the supply of HFC refrigerant, not the systems already installed. R410A is an HFC refrigerant, listed in GOV.UK guidance as HFC 410A.
Two separate rules sit behind the phrase "phase out". The first is a set of bans on new products and equipment. The second is the phase-down, which limits how much HFC can be placed on the market each year. Neither one, as GOV.UK describes it, switches off a working system.
Which new air conditioning systems are banned?
The ban that matters most for air conditioning covers small new split systems. According to GOV.UK's guidance on bans on F gas in new products and equipment, "From 2025, F gases with a global warming potential above 750 will be banned in 'single split' systems that contain less than 3kg of refrigerant."
The same guidance lists larger air conditioning systems, such as chillers and larger split systems, among the exceptions to that ban. That is an exception to one ban, not a statement that larger systems face no rules at all.
The bans are written about supply: "You must not place products or equipment containing banned F gases on the market in Great Britain." They decide what can be sold and installed as new.
How does the HFC phase-down affect R410A?
The phase-down reduces the HFC supply over time rather than banning any system. GOV.UK's page on fluorinated gases (F gases) says: "The UK is phasing down HFCs by 79% by 2030. This is compared to the average use of HFCs between 2009 and 2012." Because R410A is an HFC, it sits inside that phase-down. The limit is on how much HFC can be placed on the market; it is not a ban on using installed equipment.
The government has also consulted on changing the schedule. In its consultation update on amending the hydrofluorocarbon phasedown schedule, it said "we will not legislate in 2026 to change the phasedown steps from 1 January 2027", so the existing step in the F gas Regulation continues to apply. Further changes are still under review. This guide does not forecast what the phase-down will do to refrigerant prices or availability.
Can an existing R410A system still be serviced?
Nothing in the GOV.UK guidance quoted here stops an installed R410A air conditioning system being serviced. The GB rule on refilling is narrower than many articles suggest. GOV.UK's page on banned F gas for refilling equipment says: "You must not use virgin (unused) F gases to refill existing refrigeration systems when both of the following apply: the refrigeration system contains F gas equivalent to 40 tonnes or more of carbon dioxide (CO2); the F gas has a global warming potential above 2,500".
That rule is about refrigeration systems, and the gases the page lists do not include R410A. It is not an R410A air conditioning servicing ban. This guide covers the rules in Great Britain only.
What do you still have to do with an R410A system?
The duties that apply to an R410A system are leak checks and records, set by the size of its charge. GOV.UK's guidance on checking F gas equipment for leaks gives the conversion for this gas: "HFC 410A: 2.4 kg equals 5 tonnes CO2e", the level at which leak checks apply. A tonne of CO2 equivalent (CO2e) expresses a refrigerant charge as the amount of carbon dioxide with the same warming effect. Equipment in the lowest leak-check band must be checked "At least once every 12 months". The interval depends on the system's charge.
Records are a separate duty. GOV.UK's guidance to record F gas in equipment you own or service says operators must keep records for equipment containing F gas equivalent to 5 tonnes or more of carbon dioxide, and "You must keep records for 5 years". The records cover:
- the type and quantity of F gas in the system
- any refrigerant added
- each leak check
- any refrigerant recovered
Can an R410A system be converted to R32?
Usually not as a simple swap. Danfoss's R32 refrigerant information says "there is currently no perfect drop-in replacement for R410A", and that R32, R452B and R454B replacements for R410A "are all classed as 2L: mildly flammable". Switching gas needs redesign and component changes. A system designed for R410A should never have a different refrigerant added to it, and refrigerant work is never a job for the owner. An engineer looks at each system before any change is discussed.
Who is allowed to work on an R410A system?
Only qualified people. GOV.UK's guidance on qualifications to work with F gas says: "It is against the law to work with F gas if you do not have the correct qualifications." A company that services stationary air conditioning for other businesses must also hold company certification to work with F gas, renewed every 3 years.
Climate Flow is F-Gas certified. Our air conditioning installation, servicing and repair work, alongside commercial refrigeration and domestic heating, is set out on the Climate Flow services page.
When to call an engineer about the R410A phase out UK rules
Call an engineer when the system no longer cools as it did, when a leak check is due or overdue, when your F gas records are missing or incomplete, or when you are planning a new system and want to know which options the rules allow. Our VRF air conditioning maintenance for Energie Fitness Gym shows what that work involves on a larger multi-unit system. For a smaller commercial space, the cassette air conditioning installation for a restaurant on Orsman Road shows a typical installation.
The R410A phase out in the UK changes what can be sold as new and how much HFC is available, while the leak-check and record duties on an existing system carry on. Climate Flow works across London and surrounding areas on split, multi-split, ducted, cassette and VRF/VRV air conditioning systems.
This guide is general information, not a survey or a quote for your site; every system is different, so an engineer needs to see yours before any work is priced.