Direct answer
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme gives England and Wales homeowners a grant of £7,500 towards an air source or ground source heat pump, deducted directly from the installer's invoice. It is installer-led, not means-tested, and administered by Ofgem on behalf of DESNZ. It runs to 2030 and is open to England and Wales only.
What changed in 2026
Direct answer
Four things changed in 2026: the EPC requirement was removed on 28 April 2026 by SI 2026/390, the scheme was extended to run to 2030, MCS certification became a statutory requirement rather than just a scheme rule, and a £9,000 off-gas-grid uplift runs from 21 July 2026 to 31 March 2027. Guidance that still says you need an EPC with no outstanding insulation recommendations is out of date.
Before 28 April 2026, applicants needed a valid Energy Performance Certificate showing no outstanding recommendations for loft or cavity wall insulation. The Boiler Upgrade Scheme (Amendment) Regulations 2026 (SI 2026/390) removed that requirement outright — there is no EPC check left in the application process. Separately, DESNZ confirmed the scheme now runs to 2030, and MCS certification for the installer is a statutory condition of the grant rather than a scheme-level policy choice. (SI 2026/390)
What you can get
Direct answer
£7,500 for an air source heat pump, £7,500 for a ground source heat pump (including water source and shared ground loop systems), £5,000 for a biomass boiler, or £2,500 for an air-to-air heat pump — one grant per property. You cannot get a grant for a hybrid system combining a gas boiler with a heat pump.
| Technology | Grant |
|---|---|
| Air source heat pump (ASHP) | £7,500 |
| Ground / water source heat pump (GSHP / WSHP) | £7,500 |
| Biomass boiler (off-gas-grid, rural only) | £5,000 |
| Air-to-air heat pump | £2,500 |
Who qualifies
Direct answer
You must own the property and be replacing a fossil fuel heating system, with no income or means test. Most new build properties and social housing don't qualify, and a self-build property qualifies under its own separate rules. Your installer must commission the system within 120 days of applying.
Eligibility is checked by your MCS-certified installer, not by you directly — see How We Verify for how to confirm an installer's current MCS status before you get a quote. (Source)
How the grant is actually applied
Direct answer
Your installer applies to Ofgem on your behalf and the grant is deducted from your invoice — you never apply to Ofgem yourself. You get quotes from MCS-certified installers, agree one, your installer confirms eligibility and applies, and the grant value is shown on your quotation and final invoice.
This is the detail most search results skip: it is installer-led from start to finish. Ofgem may contact you to confirm the installer is acting on your behalf, and MCS may separately carry out its own checks on the installation. (Source)
What the scheme is not
Direct answer
It is not a free boiler scheme and it is not means-tested — it is a fixed grant towards the cost, not the whole cost. Separately, the Warm Homes Plan (published January 2026) is winding down the older supplier-obligation schemes; check gov.uk directly for their current status rather than relying on a fixed end date here, since sources vary on exact wind-down dates.
Grant guide FAQ
Do I need an EPC to apply?
Direct answer
No, not since 28 April 2026. The Boiler Upgrade Scheme (Amendment) Regulations 2026 (SI 2026/390) removed the Energy Performance Certificate requirement outright, including the old rule that the EPC had to show no outstanding loft or cavity wall insulation recommendations.
This is a genuine, recent change — a lot of guidance published before 28 April 2026 still describes an EPC check that no longer applies. If an installer or another site tells you that you need a clean EPC to qualify, that information is out of date.
How much is the Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant?
Direct answer
£7,500 towards an air source or ground source heat pump, £5,000 towards a biomass boiler, or £2,500 towards an air-to-air heat pump — one grant per property. Off-gas-grid homes replacing oil or LPG heating can get an additional £1,500 on top of the heat pump grant, taking the total to £9,000, from 21 July 2026 to 31 March 2027.
Figures confirmed against gov.uk's Boiler Upgrade Scheme pages on 17 September 2026. Ground source heat pump grants also cover water source heat pumps and systems on shared ground loops. Maximum system capacity is 45kWth for an individual system (70kWth if installed alongside other heat pumps, 300kWth for shared ground loops).
Who qualifies for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme?
Direct answer
You must own the property (including a second home or a rental you let out) and be replacing a fossil fuel heating system — oil, mains gas, electric or LPG. There is no income or means test. Most new build properties and social housing are excluded, and your installer must commission the system within 120 days of applying for the grant.
Biomass boiler grants have extra conditions: the property must be off the gas grid, in a rural location, and the boiler must hold an emissions certificate. You can still qualify even if the property has already had other energy-efficiency funding, such as insulation.
How is the grant applied — do I apply myself?
Direct answer
No — your MCS-certified installer applies to Ofgem on your behalf, and the grant is deducted from your invoice before you pay. You agree a quote, the installer confirms your eligibility and applies, and Ofgem may contact you to confirm the installer is acting for you.
Is the Boiler Upgrade Scheme a free boiler scheme?
Direct answer
No. It is not a free boiler scheme and it is not means-tested. It's a fixed grant towards the cost of a heat pump or biomass boiler, deducted from the installer's invoice — you still pay the balance of the installation cost yourself. This is a common point of confusion in search results, so it's worth stating plainly.
Finding an MCS-certified installer
Direct answer
Only an MCS-certified installer can process a Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant on your behalf. Browse our register of installers checked against the MCS installer search, or search directly on MCS yourself.