5 Key Facts About The Boiler Upgrade Scheme

 Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS)

The Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) is an initiative set up by the UK government through which eligible households in England and Wales can get grants to help them upgrade their fossil fueled boiler heating and install an energy-efficient heating system. This can be a heat pump or a biomass boiler. 

The goal here as it is with the entire ECO4 grants UK scheme is to see the UK achieve a zero-carbon emission by 2050. 

The boiler upgrade scheme is targeted to help low income households afford low carbon technologies by drastically reducing or totally removing the cost of installation. 



The scheme which is expected to run until 2028 has a budget of £450 million. Recently, the new boiler grant was increased from £5000 to £7,500. Therefore, now is the best time to upgrade your old, out-of-date, inefficient gas-consuming boiler and get an energy-efficient system installed.

By keying into this government grants for insulation and boiler upgrade, you will reduce your need for gas and lower your carbon footprint. Additionally, you will add value to your home, increase comfort, while you will also benefit from potential cost savings. 


Here are 5 Key Facts About The Boiler Upgrade Scheme

Here are some important facts you need to know about the boiler upgrade scheme;

  1. You Have To Meet Some Eligibility Criteria

To benefit from the boiler upgrade scheme, you need to meet certain criteria. These include;

  • You must live in England or Wales. The Boiler upgrade scheme is not available for those living in Scotland and Northern Ireland. For Scotland, check with Home Energy Scotland. They currently offer loans for heat pumps and biomass boilers. And for Northern Ireland, contact NI Energy Advice to find out if there is any affordable funding to help improve the energy efficiency of your home.

  • You must own the property you are applying for which may be home, a business or a property for lease or rent.


  1. Not Every Property Is Eligible

There are properties that qualify and there are others that will not be eligible for the scheme. Here are some things to note;

  • An eligible property must have an installation capacity of up to 45kWth (kilowatt-thermal). This is usually applicable to most homes.

  • Your property must not have an outstanding recommendation for loft or cavity wall insulation. However, you will be eligible for a boiler upgrade as soon as you take care of your home’s insulation needs.

  • New build properties are not eligible for the scheme except self-builds that have been built mainly using the labour or resources of the first owner. Additionally, new builds that have never been owned by a business or organisation.

  • Social housing properties are not eligible.

  • Properties that have previously enjoyed government funding or an ECO grant for the purchase or installation of a heat pump are also not eligible.


  1. EPC Requirement

Another key fact to be aware of is that your property must have a valid Energy Performance Certificate (EPC). If you are unsure of your EPC certificate, visit the Gov.uk website.

An EPC gives information about the energy use in your property and also recommends what must be done to reduce energy consumption. 

Before your heat pump installer will apply for the BUS grant on your behalf, they will confirm that your property’s EPC was issued within the last 10 years. If you have not carried out an EPC assessment in your home in the last decade, reach out to a local EPC assessor to complete yours. You can also reach us via our helplines if you need any help in finding one.


  1. Loft or Cavity Insulation

As mentioned earlier, your property will only be eligible if it does not have an outstanding recommendation for loft or cavity wall insulation. So here is what you need to do;

  • Reach out to a licensed installer to install the relevant insulation. 

  • Get an EPC assessor to assess your home and issue a new EPC. (Installing an insulation will change the previous EPC of your home).

  • See to it that your new EPC does not have any recommendations for loft or cavity wall insulation.

However, there are scenarios where you will not be required to fix the insulation issue. These include;

  • If it is not feasible to install the recommended insulation as a result of the structure of the property.

  • If installing a loft or cavity wall insulation would bring harm to protected wildlife 

  • If your property is in a conservation area 

  • If your property is a listed building 


If you are affected by any of the above-mentioned cases, then give evidence to your installer. They will include it when submitting your application for a boiler upgrade grant scheme.

 

  1. Your Current Boiler Must Be Eligible For Upgrade

Another fact about the free boiler scheme is that your existing boiler must be considered inefficient to almost at the end of its lifespan. Your local installer can assess this for you.

Also note that this energy grant is available for air source, ground source and water source heat pumps. Hybrid heat pump systems which may include a combination of a fossil fuel boiler and air source heat pump, are not eligible for the grant. In addition, biomass boilers are eligible for the grant.


How do you apply for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme?

  1. Reach out to an MSC certified installer in your area who can do the work. We always recommend you contact three installers so that you can compare quotes and go with the best deal.

  2. You will be informed by the installer if you are eligible or not after they must have carried out an assessment of your home.

  3. The value of the grant from the BUS will be deducted as part of the quote.

  4. The installer will apply to Ofgem for the grant. You will be contacted via email to confirm that you gave consent for the installer to apply on your behalf

  5. Your installer will carry out the installation as specified and will redeem the grant voucher and receive the grant.

Ensure that your installer is certified by the Microgeneration Certificate Scheme (MCS). 


Summing Up

The Boiler Upgrade Scheme gives you a great opportunity to make your home energy efficient and save money on energy bills. It also helps you reduce your carbon profile and impact the environment positively.

If you have further enquiries, reach us via our call lines or fill out our online form on our website eco-grants.com.


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