Boiler Upgrade Scheme explained
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme is a government grant in England and Wales towards replacing fossil-fuel heating with a heat pump. The MCS-certified installer applies and deducts it from your price; you do not claim it yourself.
The key points
- Available in England and Wales for replacing fossil-fuel heating
- Air-to-air only qualifies when it heats the whole home
- An off-gas uplift applies for eligible oil and LPG homes for a limited time
- The installer applies to Ofgem and deducts the grant
- The grant doesn't make an unsuitable system a good idea
The short answer
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme is a government grant in England and Wales towards replacing fossil-fuel heating with a heat pump or, in some cases, a biomass boiler. It’s £7,500 for an air-to-water or ground source heat pump and £2,500 for an air-to-air heat pump that heats the whole home. Eligible off-gas homes can receive £9,000 until 31 March 2027. The MCS-certified installer applies and takes it off your price; you don’t claim it yourself. Figures last checked 30 October 2026 (GOV.UK: Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant levels).
How much is available
| Technology | Grant |
|---|---|
| Air source heat pump (air-to-water) | £7,500 |
| Ground source heat pump | £7,500 |
| Air-to-air heat pump (whole-home heating only) | £2,500 |
| Biomass boiler (limited eligibility) | £5,000 |
| Air or ground source, eligible off-gas (oil or LPG) homes, until 31 March 2027 | £9,000 |
The main conditions
- The property is in England or Wales.
- You own it (homeowners, landlords and small businesses can apply through an installer).
- The new system replaces fossil-fuel heating such as gas, oil or LPG, or direct electric heating, rather than sitting alongside it.
- It’s installed by an MCS-certified installer, who applies to Ofgem for you.
- For air-to-air: the system must be designed to heat the whole home. Systems that cool or heat a few rooms alongside your boiler don’t qualify.
- New-build properties are generally excluded.
Ofgem administers the scheme and its rules change from time to time, so treat this as a summary and check GOV.UK for the current position.
How it works in practice
- An MCS-certified installer assesses your home and designs the system.
- You accept their quote, which shows the grant deducted.
- The installer applies to Ofgem for the voucher.
- Ofgem contacts you to confirm you agreed to the application.
- Once approved and installed, the installer redeems the voucher.
What the grant doesn’t change
A grant makes a good heat pump more affordable. It doesn’t make an unsuitable one a good idea. Whether the system will keep your home warm, at a sensible running cost, comes from the heat-loss calculation and design, not from the grant. Read Can a heat pump replace my boiler? first.
Thinking about a heat pump? Start your home assessment to see whether your home is a good candidate.
Sources
Questions
Do I apply myself?
No. Your MCS-certified installer applies to Ofgem, and Ofgem checks with you that you agreed.
Can landlords apply?
Yes, property owners including landlords can benefit through an installer.
Does it cover air-to-air?
Only where the system replaces fossil-fuel heating and is designed to heat the whole home.
Is Scotland included?
No. Scotland has its own schemes through Home Energy Scotland.
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