The Boiler Upgrade Scheme: What Is It?
A UK government programme called the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) aims to persuade more homeowners in England and Wales to adopt low-carbon heating technologies including heat pumps and biomass boilers.
Get new boiler quotes online >
How much financing is included in the scheme and what is covered?
Three low-carbon heating systems are covered by the boiler upgrade programme:
- Air source heat pump: £5,000 in installation and cost savings.
- £5,000 off the cost and installation of a biomass boiler.
- Ground source heat pump: £6,000 in installation and cost savings.
Please be aware that the award only applies to residences without a gas connection, in rural areas, and with biomass boilers that have an emissions certificate proving that harmful emissions are maintained to a minimum.
How do I choose the best low-carbon heating system for my home?
If a heat pump or biomass boiler is appropriate for your property, your installation can provide you advice on that. They could advise starting by making your home more energy efficient.
Before installing a low carbon heating system, read our tips on loft insulation and cavity wall insulation to help your building become more energy efficient.
Who may apply to the scheme?
Owners of small commercial properties and homeowners in England and Wales are the only eligible parties.
For consideration, you must:
- Having a home (this can be a home or a small business property).
- Occupy a property with a 45 kWth maximum installation capacity (this covers most homes).
- Own an active Energy Performance Certificate (EPC). No suggestions for loft or cavity wall insulation must still be included in your EPC (unless you have an insulation exemption).
When does the scheme start?
The plan is in effect from 2022 to 2025.
Low carbon heating systems will be eligible for funding under the programme if they are commissioned (i.e., installed and thoroughly inspected by your installer) on or after 1 April 2022.
However, starting on May 23, 2022, at the earliest, applications and payments can only be made.
The new heating system must also be capable of providing all of your property’s space heating and hot water needs, as well as meeting specific technical requirements like minimum efficiency standards. You can get advice on these from us – your installer.
How can I gain access to the scheme?
The installers are in charge of the Boiler Upgrade Scheme. In other words, the installer will submit a grant application on your behalf.
The grant’s value will be deducted from the total amount you pay.
To ensure you’re receiving the best value for your money, we advise you to request quotations from multiple installers.
What will the procedure involve?
You must locate a local installer who is capable of doing the task and is MSC certified. The MCS quality assurance programme guarantees that installers are knowledgeable and that the items they use adhere to the necessary requirements.
If your installation qualifies for a grant under the scheme, the installer will then let you know.
Your installer will provide you with a price for the installation, and this should reflect the subsidy from the Boiler Upgrade Scheme as a reduction from the overall cost.
After that, the installer will submit a grant application.
When the installer contacts you, you will need to confirm that they are speaking on your behalf with Ofgem.
How to get up to £6,000 off a heat pump
Check to see whether you qualify for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, which offers homeowners up to £6,000 off a heat pump:
For ground source heat pumps and £5,000 for air source heat pumps, respectively, the 450m policy offers incentives to households. Around 90,000 residences are anticipated to benefit from it throughout its three-year run, which will end in April 2025.
According to government statistics from September, more than 5,700 applications have been submitted thus far, and more than 4,400 vouchers have already been distributed.
According to the Committee on Climate Change (CCC), heating our homes contributes to 14% of the UK’s carbon emissions. The Boiler Upgrade Scheme will be a major factor in assisting the country in achieving its net zero target of 2050 and ensuring that all new heating system installations are low carbon by 2035.
How does the boiler upgrade scheme actually work?
The scheme is an element of the more than £3.9 billion in support for reducing carbon emissions from households that was announced in the government’s Heat and Buildings Strategy in 2021.
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme(opens in new tab), formerly known as the Clean Heat Grant, operates similarly to the Green Homes Grant in that the government contributes a certain amount toward the price of a renewable heating system.
The system works on a first-come, first-served basis for individuals who are eligible.
All qualified low-carbon heating systems installed after the program’s official debut date of April 1 are eligible for funding under the Boiler Upgrade Scheme. On May 23, the programme began accepting grant requests and payments.
What types of heating systems are eligible?
Instead of using gas boilers to heat our houses/, we may use heat pumps, which are more ecologically friendly. They are significantly more efficient than a gas boiler, drawing heat from the surroundings even when it is cold outside and producing around three times as much energy as they consume.
Heat pumps do not emit carbon when they are working, in contrast to gas boilers.
However, a decision on the household usage of hydrogen boilers won’t be made until 2025, despite the government’s financing investment in hydrogen heating technology.
The following types of heat pumps are supported under the boiler upgrade programme:
- Ground heat pumps
- Pumps that heat water (which the government considers in the same tech category as GSHPs)
- Air-source heat pumps
- Only in rural regions with a population of 10,000 or fewer are biomass boilers supported. They are not accessible to residents of cities.
In order to install a biomass boiler in your house and “mitigate any detrimental influence on air quality,” according to the government, it must also comply with strict emissions regulations.
Additionally, your property must have adequate electricity to sustain a 45kWth, or kilowatt thermal, installation capacity.
Boiler Upgrade Scheme – Summary
You could be eligible for a subsidy from the Boiler Upgrade Scheme to help offset some of the cost of switching from a fossil fuel heating system to a heat pump or biomass boiler.
Oil, gas, or electric heating systems are all fossil fuel-powered.
Check your eligibility and then learn how to submit an application for the award.
Apply for a boiler upgrade scheme here – for a free boiler upgrade
FAQ
How long does the voucher applications go for?
To guarantee that the coupons are used promptly, applicants are given a predetermined validity period.
The duration of validity is:
- Vouchers for biomass boilers and air source heat pumps are valid for three months.
- For ground source heat pump coupons, six months.
Where can I find this scheme?
The programme is restricted to England as well as Wales. If you reside in Scotland, House Energy Scotland can help you get financing for home upgrades that can save you money on energy (opens in new tab).
In England and Wales, the majority of homeowners, small landlords, and private landlords are eligible to apply for grants. All applicants must, however, possess a current Energy Performance Certificate (EPC), often one that was given within the last 10 years.
However, there are several restrictions to making sure your EPC is accepted. The first requirement is that you have no outstanding loft or cavity wall recommendations. If so, you must install the advised insulation before submitting an application for the programme.
Alternatively, if your house qualifies for an EPC insulation immunity, you can move through with your application.
What additional financing is offered?
You might be able to take advantage of the Energy Company Obligation (ECO), a programme created to assist low-income and vulnerable households make energy-efficient home upgrades, if you are not qualified for assistance through the Boiler Upgrade Scheme.
Some homes can also take advantage of a number of insulation incentives, grants for heat pumps, and the Warm Home Discount Scheme, which can help you obtain a one-time discount on your energy bill.
If you’ve received other cash for energy efficiency upgrades like insulation, doors, or windows, you may still apply for the boiler upgrade scheme.
How else can I reduce my expenses?
This month, the Energy Price Guarantee set the average household energy cost at £2,500, and the government’s energy grant programme has started. Under this programme, homeowners will have £400 taken off of their bill each month for the following six months.
Try these energy-saving strategies to help reduce your home’s energy use, nevertheless, if you need additional assistance paying your energy bill.
