In the summer of 2011, he was linked with reported moves away from Bournemouth with Celtic, Liverpool and Newcastle United. Premier League club Fulham also had a £400,000 bid rejected by the club. In July 2011, he was rewarded with his fifth contract in twelve months, improving his deal to be one of the top earners at the club. He remained at the club through pre-season and started in the first match of the season in a 3–0 away defeat to Charlton Athletic. It proved to be his final appearance for the club. On 15 August 2011, Ings signed for Championship club Burnley for an undisclosed fee believed to be in the region of £1 million, on a four-year contract. He rejoined former Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe who had made the same move eight months earlier. He made his debut on 14 February 2012, in a 2–0 win over Barnsley at Turf Moor, where he came on as a late substitute for Charlie Austin. His first start came a month later on 10 March 2012, in a 1–1 home draw with Crystal Palace in the league. His first goal for Burnley came on 31 March, in a 5–1 win against Portsmouth at Fratton Park. His second goal came in the following match, where he scored the equaliser in a 3–1 defeat to Birmingham City. He scored his third goal of the season in the final match of the season, a 30-yard strike in a 1–1 home draw with Bristol City. He started the 2012–13 season as a first choice regular in pre-season following the sale of striker Jay Rodriguez to Southampton. He scored in friendly wins over Altrincham and Bury. He suffered another serious knee injury in the final pre-season match, a 3–1 defeat to Rochdale. He tore the knee cartilage in the opposite knee to the previous season which resulted in surgery, keeping him out of action for up to six months. Following the departure of top-scorer Charlie Austin to Queens Park Rangers, Ings became the main striker ahead of the 2013–14 season. He put together a string of impressive performances in the Clarets' pre-season campaign and scored two goals in the opening three league matches as well as a goal in the League Cup against York City. For his continued good start to the season Ings was named the Championship Player of the Month for October. In March 2014, Ings won Championship Player of the Year at the Football League Awards, ahead of the two other nominees: Leeds United striker Ross McCormack and Leicester City midfielder Danny Drinkwater.