Heat Pump Grant Check Check eligibility

Home Boiler Upgrade Scheme

Boiler Upgrade Scheme: who is eligible

The Boiler Upgrade Scheme is a grant for heat pumps in England and Wales. It pays a grant of up to £7,500 (£9,000 in some off-gas homes) if you're eligible. An MCS-certified installer applies for you. This page explains who is eligible and how the scheme works.

Who is eligible

  • the installer must be MCS-certified and applies on the owner's behalf (installer-led)
  • the system replaces an existing fossil-fuel or electric system
  • no social housing
  • no new builds, except eligible self-builds
  • no hybrid heat pump plus fossil boiler
  • minimum SCOP 2.8 for air-to-water and ground source
  • the owner must own the new heat pump
  • no other government or ECO funding for the same install
  • since 28 Apr 2026 no EPC is required to apply (alternative evidence instead)

Where the grant applies

England and Wales only. Not Scotland or Northern Ireland; Scotland has Home Energy Scotland.

The scheme rules are the SAME in Wales. The same Regulations ("England and Wales") apply, with the same amounts, off-gas uplift, end dates and Ofgem administration.

The Boiler Upgrade Scheme is not available in Scotland or Northern Ireland; only properties in England and Wales are eligible. In Scotland, Home Energy Scotland offers its own heat pump grant and loan; check its site for current amounts.

Grant amounts

  • £7,500: air-to-water, ground source and water source heat pumps (including exhaust air-to-water from 28 Apr 2026)
  • £2,500: air-to-air heat pumps, residential only
  • £5,000: biomass boilers (limited cases: rural, off gas grid, standalone)

These amounts apply if you're eligible. Whether you qualify for the higher amount depends on the property, not the person:

  • £9,000 for air-to-water or ground source heat pumps from 21 Jul 2026 until 31 Mar 2027.
  • The property must: have no mains gas (including capped or clamped meters); have no gas meter point record; not be on a heat network; not be a new build; be replacing OIL or LPG heating.

The installer must pass on the FULL grant as an upfront discount, shown on the quote and the invoice.

Voucher validity: 3 months (6 months for ground source) from approval to install.

VAT

0% on installing heat pumps and biomass boilers from 1 Apr 2022 to 31 Mar 2027.

When the scheme ends

Applications (via your installer) can be approved until 31 December 2029; installs must be finished while the voucher is valid, and no later than 31 March 2030.

The grant is limited by the scheme's budget and amounts can change; check Ofgem before you rely on it.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Who is eligible for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme?

The installer must be MCS-certified and applies on your behalf. The system must replace an existing fossil-fuel or electric system, it must not be social housing or a new build, and there must be no other government or ECO funding for the same install. The full list of conditions is on this page.

How much is the grant?

It is £7,500 for air-to-water, ground source and water source heat pumps, £2,500 for air-to-air heat pumps (residential only), and £5,000 for biomass boilers — a grant of up to £7,500 (£9,000 in some off-gas homes) if you're eligible.

Does the grant apply in Scotland and Northern Ireland?

England and Wales only. Not Scotland or Northern Ireland; Scotland has Home Energy Scotland.

How is VAT charged on a heat pump installation?

VAT is 0% on installing heat pumps and biomass boilers from 1 Apr 2022 to 31 Mar 2027.

When does the Boiler Upgrade Scheme end?

Applications (via your installer) can be approved until 31 December 2029; installs must be finished while the voucher is valid, and no later than 31 March 2030. The grant is limited by the scheme's budget and amounts can change; check Ofgem before you rely on it.

Sources

Every figure on this site comes from a facts register read on 18 October 2026. Each row below links to the page the fact came from.