Boiler Upgrade Scheme: eligibility and how the process works

What the Boiler Upgrade Scheme is

The Boiler Upgrade Scheme, often referred to as BUS, is a government grant scheme intended to reduce the upfront cost of replacing fossil fuel heating with a heat pump or biomass boiler. It applies to homeowners in England and Wales.

The scheme is installer-led, meaning your chosen heating installer applies for the grant and claims it on your behalf, so homeowners do not need to apply to the scheme directly themselves.

Grant amounts, as checked on 10 October 2026

As checked on 10 October 2026, the GOV.UK page on what you can get under the Boiler Upgrade Scheme lists the following: £7,500 towards an air source heat pump, £7,500 towards a ground source heat pump, including water source heat pumps and those on shared ground loops, £5,000 towards a biomass boiler, and £2,500 towards an air-to-air heat pump. It also states that, until March 2027, an additional £1,500 is available towards an air source or ground source heat pump if the property is heated by oil or LPG and has no mains gas connection.

Separately, as checked on the same date, Ofgem's Boiler Upgrade Scheme page for property owners lists a grant of £9,000 off the cost and installation of air-to-water or ground source heat pumps in eligible off-gas grid properties, available from 21 July 2026 until 31 March 2027.

Because the GOV.UK and Ofgem pages describe grant amounts and windows slightly differently, we are not stating a single definitive figure that applies to every household. The exact amount you may be entitled to depends on your specific property and circumstances, including your current heating fuel and gas connection status, and can change over time. Always check both the GOV.UK and Ofgem pages directly, or ask your MCS-certified installer to confirm current figures, before relying on a specific amount.

Grant amounts and eligibility windows are subject to change. This section reflects what GOV.UK and Ofgem published as of 10 October 2026. Always verify current figures directly on GOV.UK and Ofgem before making decisions.

Eligibility basics

You can generally get one grant per property, and the scheme does not cover hybrid systems that combine a heat pump with a gas boiler. The replacement system must meet certain efficiency standards, and your installer can confirm whether a specific product and installation qualifies.

The scheme covers individual heat pump systems up to a specified maximum capacity, with different limits for systems installed with multiple heat pumps or shared ground loops. Your installer will confirm whether your proposed system falls within scope.

You generally cannot get a grant to replace an existing low-carbon heating system, such as replacing one heat pump with another, under the standard scheme rules.

MCS certification and EPC requirements

Your installer must be certified under the Microgeneration Certification Scheme, MCS, to apply for and claim the grant on your behalf. This certification is a recognised quality standard for renewable heating and electricity installations in the UK.

There may be requirements relating to your property's Energy Performance Certificate, such as having no outstanding recommended loft or cavity wall insulation measures with a reasonable payback period, unless these have been addressed or are not applicable to your property. Your installer will check your EPC and advise whether any action is needed before applying.

How the application process works, step by step

Typically, the process starts with an installer visiting your property to carry out a heat loss survey and confirm suitability, before producing a quote that accounts for the expected grant deduction.

The installer then submits the grant application on your behalf before the installation begins, and installation generally should not start until the application has been approved.

Once the heat pump or biomass boiler is installed and commissioned, the installer claims the grant, which is paid to them directly and deducted from your final invoice, so you are not required to pay the grant amount upfront and wait for reimbursement.