Boiler Upgrade Scheme: Up to £9,000 Towards a Heat Pump
How the Boiler Upgrade Scheme works in 2026: eligible heat pump grants in England and Wales, including the £9,000 oil/LPG off-grid category from 21 July 2026.
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) is the main grant for heat pumps in England and Wales, open to most homeowners, with no income test, and available whether or not you qualify for the council-run Warm Homes: Local Grant. It's worth £7,500 for a standard heat pump, with a £9,000 uplift for eligible off-gas-grid oil/LPG replacements using an air-to-water or ground-source heat pump.
The grant is applied automatically as a discount by your MCS-certified installer, so you don't apply for it yourself. Read the official scheme rules on GOV.UK.
Scheme details on GOV.UKWhat you get
The amount depends on the technology you install, not on your income or the value of your home. These are the current rates:
| Technology | Grant |
|---|---|
| Air-to-water heat pump | £7,500 |
| Ground source heat pump | £7,500 |
| Water source heat pump | £7,500 |
| Air-to-water or ground-source heat pump in an eligible off-gas-grid property replacing oil or LPG | £9,000 |
| Air-to-air heat pump (eligible residential properties) | £2,500 |
| Biomass boiler | £5,000 |
Whichever rate applies, the discount comes off your installer's quote before you pay. It isn't a rebate you claim back afterwards, and you don't get to choose your rate. It's determined by your existing heating system and the technology being fitted.
Worth knowing
The higher £9,000 off-gas-grid rate applies to applications submitted on or after 21 July 2026 and is currently confirmed only until 31 March 2027. If your home is heated by oil or LPG, it's worth getting quotes well before that date.
Who qualifies
- Homeowners and small landlords in England and Wales
- An existing fossil fuel heating system: gas, oil, or LPG
- No household income or property-value limit
- No Energy Performance Certificate required, as that requirement was removed on 28 April 2026
Where you don't have an EPC, your installer submits alternative evidence in its place, usually a recent fuel bill showing your existing heating fuel, along with photographs of the current system. Eligible self-builds are an exception to the new-build exclusion; check Ofgem's current criteria.
Scotland isn't covered by the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, as funding there runs through Home Energy Scotland instead, and the Boiler Replacement Scheme in Northern Ireland is closed.
A note on air-to-air heat pumps
Air-to-air heat pumps joined the scheme on 28 April 2026, but they aren't an alternative route to the £7,500. They receive £2,500, they're limited to residential properties. The approved categories include eligible fossil-fuel and electric system replacements. Air-to-air systems do not receive the £9,000 oil/LPG uplift. Ask a registered installer to check whether the proposed system meets the full scheme rules.
How to claim it
You don't apply directly. An MCS-certified installer applies on your behalf as part of quoting your installation, and the grant is deducted from what you're quoted. Installers registered for the scheme are marked BUS grant eligible on their listing in this directory. The scheme is administered by Ofgem.
Not sure you qualify for this one?
If you're on a lower income or in certain postcodes, the council-run Warm Homes: Local Grant may cover the work in full rather than discounting it. Read our guide to the Warm Homes: Local Grant to check.
For every route side by side, including the separate schemes covering Scotland and Wales, see our overview of UK heat pump grants.
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Frequently asked questions
How much is the Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant worth?
£7,500 towards an eligible air-to-water or ground-source heat pump (including water source), £2,500 for air-to-air, or £5,000 for biomass. The £9,000 uplift is only for eligible off-gas-grid homes replacing oil or LPG with an air-to-water or ground-source heat pump. It applies from 21 July 2026 to 31 March 2027. An approved grant is deducted from the installer's quote, not paid to you as cash.
Who can get the Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant?
Most homeowners and small landlords in England and Wales with an existing fossil fuel heating system can apply, and there is no income or property-value test. You'll need an installer who is MCS certified to carry out the work and submit the application on your behalf. Scotland has its own funding through Home Energy Scotland, and the Northern Ireland Boiler Replacement Scheme is closed.
Do I still need an EPC to apply?
No. The requirement for a valid Energy Performance Certificate was removed on 28 April 2026. Where an EPC exists it is still used as the primary evidence, but where there isn't one your installer can submit alternative evidence instead, typically a recent fuel bill showing your existing heating fuel, plus photographs of the current system.
Are air-to-air heat pumps covered?
Yes, since 28 April 2026. Eligible air-to-air systems receive £2,500 and are for residential properties only. The approved categories include replacement of eligible fossil-fuel or electric systems; an air-to-air system does not qualify for the £9,000 oil/LPG uplift. Ask an MCS-certified, BUS-registered installer to check the property and system rules.
Can I get the higher £9,000 grant?
Only if your property is off the gas grid, and only for an air-to-water or ground source heat pump, which in practice means homes currently heated by oil or LPG. Homes on the mains gas network continue to receive the standard £7,500. The uplift was announced on 21 April 2026, applies to applications submitted on or after 21 July 2026, and is currently confirmed until 31 March 2027.
Do I apply for the grant myself?
No. Your chosen MCS-certified installer applies on your behalf as part of quoting and installing the system. Look for the BUS-registered badge on a directory listing to find installers set up to do this.