Boiler Upgrade Scheme 2023
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme which is aimed at encouraging householders to switch to low-carbon heating systems with the launch of a new £5000 grant.
This grant will assist people to switch to more efficient heat pumps when they need to replace their boiler as the cost should be the same when taking advantage of the grant.
This scheme will help meet the UK’s net zero carbon emissions target by 2050 and should be very popular.
We anticipate that there will be strong take up as heat pumps are very efficient and will reduce heating bills by up to £300 per year.
✅You Get A Grant Of £5000!
✅Includes Free Fitting
✅Includes 5 Yr Warranty
What is the Government’s Boiler Upgrade Scheme?
The government is offering grants to encourage homeowners to install low carbon heating systems like heat pumps through the Boiler Upgrade Scheme.
This grant is open to all UK households with an old gas boiler installed and is due to end in 2025
All heat pump systems installed after 1 April 2022 can apply subject to meeting the eligibility criteria.
Scheme not available to those in Scotland. scheme will only fund 90,000 pumps over three years
Overview
Through the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, you could get a grant to cover part of the cost of replacing fossil fuel heating systems with a heat pump or biomass boiler.
Fossil fuel heating systems include oil, gas or electric.
After you’ve checked you’re eligible, find out how to apply for the grant.
This scheme is open to people in England and Wales.
If you live in Scotland, you might be able to get an interest-free loan or a grant to make your home more energy efficient.
Boiler Upgrade Scheme – How much will I get?
air source heat pump. – Most households will receive £5,000 grant to help cover the cost
ground source heat pump – However those who own properties that require a will get a £6,000 grant as these are more expensive.
biomass boiler. And there are also £5,000 grants available for people installing a
However you’ll only be eligible for a grant for biomass boilers in rural locations and if your property isn’t connected to the gas grid.
Will the heat pump grant cover all the costs?
Unfortunately it’s unlikely that the £5,000 or £6,000 grant will cover the full costs of installing a heat pump.
While costs vary depending on the type of heat pump and the size of your house, installing a new system can cost around £10,000 on average.
The idea of the heat pump grants is to make the cost of installing a heat pump similar to that of getting a new boiler.
What you can get
You can get one grant per property. Grants are available for:
- £5,000 towards an air source heat pump
- £6,000 towards a ground source heat pump (including water source heat pumps and those on shared ground loops)
- £5,000 towards a biomass boiler
You cannot get a grant for a hybrid heat pump system (for example a combination of gas boiler and air source heat pump).
The system you install must meet certain standards, such as minimum efficiency levels (your installer can advise you on these).
The system’s maximum capacity must be less than 45kWth – anything over is not eligible.
Find out more about heat pumps and biomass boilers.
You cannot get a grant to replace a low carbon heating system.
Who Can Apply For The Boiler Upgrade Scheme?
Most homeowners, & private landlords in England and Wales will be eligible to apply.
You will need :
- A valid Energy Performance Certificate
- Loft or cavity wall insulation installed if applicable
- You are replacing existing fossil fuel systems (like oil, gas or direct electric).
Social housing and new-build properties are exempt unless you’re building your own home.
Check if you’re eligible
You’re eligible for a grant if all the following are true. You must:
- own the property you’re applying for (including if it’s a business, a second home, or a property you rent out to tenants)
- have installed (or plan to install) your new heating system on or after 1 April 2022
- be replacing fossil fuel heating systems (such as oil, gas or electric)
You’re still eligible if you’ve already had funding to make your property more energy efficient, for example by insulating it.
Check if your property is eligible
Your property must have a valid Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) with no outstanding recommendations for loft or cavity wall insulation.
Find out what to do if your property has recommendations for loft or cavity wall insulation.
If you’re not sure whether your property is suitable for a low carbon heating system, speak to an MCS certified installer.
They can tell you about your options.
How to apply
- Contact suitable MCS certified installers to get quotes for the work.
- Confirm you’re eligible (your installer will tell you).
- Agree a quote with your chosen installer.
The installer will apply on your behalf on the Ofgem website.
The value of the grant will be taken off the amount you pay for installation.
What happens next
Ofgem will contact you to confirm that the installer is acting on your behalf. They might also contact you by phone or visit your property in order to check the installation.
MCS might contact you to carry out their own checks.
Biomass boilers
You can get a grant for a biomass boiler if all the following are true:
- your property is off the gas grid
- your property is in a rural location (check the Ofgem guidance for property owners if you’re not sure)
- your boiler has an emissions certificate showing that polluting emissions are kept to a minimum
You cannot get a grant to install a biomass boiler in a self build property.
Properties you cannot get a grant for
You cannot get a grant for:
- most new build properties
- social housing
- a property that’s already been given government funding or support for a heat pump or biomass boiler
If you own a new build property
New build properties which the developer is still building are not eligible.
If you move into a finished new build with a fossil fuel boiler, you may be able to get a grant for a heat pump under the scheme.
If you own a self build property
Your self build property is eligible if:
- you or the original owner built it yourself or you paid a builder to build it
- it’s never been owned by a business or organisation
You’ll need to show your installer proof that your property is a self build, for example, a copy of the title deeds.
Heat pump grants: How do I apply?
You should get quotes from 3 installers
Once your chosen installer has confirmed an installation is eligible for a grant and you’re happy with the quote, the heat pump installer will apply to energy regulator Ofgem for the grant on your behalf.
Once your application has been reviewed Ofgem will issue a voucher confirming the grant amount.
The firm will then have three months to complete the installation.
Upon completion a ‘microgeneration certification certificate’ will be issued to you that will confirm all eligibility criteria has been met.
You can submit this to Ofgem which will pay the grant amount directly to the installer.
You’ll be sent a bill for the outstanding amount.
What should I replace my gas boiler with?
Renewable heating is now on the menu.
- Heat Pumps – Solar Panels – Hydrogen Boilers Infrared panels
1. Heat pumps
Using air and a little electricity, heat pumps are based on the same technology found in your fridge freezer.
An electric pump absorbs heat from the air outside and compresses it, so it reaches a high temperature. The heat is then transfered all around your home.
There are two main types of heat pumps: air source and ground source.
Air source heat pumps take air from outside and use it to power your home’s heating and hot water systems, whilst ground source pumps absorb heat from the ground.
Depending on which type of heat pump you go for, the upfront cost for purchase and installation can be anything between £7,000–£49,000.Bear in mind that you can get up to £6,000 off your heat pump by using the Boiler Upgrade Scheme – a government scheme for homeowners in the UK.
What is the Boiler Upgrade Scheme?
From April 2022, the Boiler Upgrade Scheme will replace the Green Heat Grant and will offer upfront help to cover the cost of changing from a gas boiler to lower-carbon heating. It’s part of the government’s plan to drive down the cost of green tech so it’s no more expensive to buy and run than traditional boilers. Under the scheme, homeowners in England and Wales can get £5,000 off the cost of new air source heat pumps and £6,000 off ground source heat pumps. And that will make a real difference to your initial outlay.
How the Boiler Upgrade Scheme works
Once you’ve chosen the right heating system for your home (the criteria for ground and air source heat pumps are very different, so you’ll need to find out more before choosing), installers will then apply for the grant on your behalf and reduce it from the cost of your heat pump. And it’s as easy as that.
You’ll be eligible if:
- You’re a home or small business owner
- Your home or business is in England or Wales
- The property has an energy performance certificate (EPC) less than 10 years old
Things to watch out for:
As long as your EPC doesn’t have recommendations for loft or cavity wall insulation you should be eligible for the grant. If it does, then you’ll probably need to get the insulation work done before applying. Otherwise, all that lovely clean heat you’ve been generating with a heat pump will be lost through your walls and ceiling – not the most eco-friendly approach, we’re sure you’ll agree! For new builds, chances are your home already meets the EPC standard, and if you own a listed building, you may be EPC or insulation exemption – so worth checking out in more detail beforehand.
Government targets
The BUS is part of the government’s overall Heat and Buildings Strategy, which aims to incentivise households to install low-carbon heating systems in a fair and affordable way. It’s an alternative to taking out a government grant for a new boiler and will significantly reduce the UK’s dependency on fossil fuels and exposure to global price spikes. It will also support up to 240,000 jobs across the UK by 2035. And don’t worry, you won’t be forced to remove your recently installed fossil fuel boilers anytime soon, but the long-term target is to switch everyone over eventually.
Numbers at a glance:
- £450 million will be invested in the 3-year Boiler Upgrade Scheme – part of more than £3.9 billion of new funding to decarbonise heat and buildings
- £60 million innovation fund launched to make clean heat systems easier to install and cheaper to run
- Big cost reductions expected by 2025 as the market expands and technology develops
2. Hydrogen boilers
The next best thing to a boiler powered by natural gas is a hydrogen boiler, which is very similar to a gas boiler and the UK government is planning to bring these in gradually.
The first phase will be introducing a 20% hydrogen blend into the UK mains supply, which won’t be until 2028 at the earliest.
A ll boilers sold by British Gas today are hydrogen-blend ready,
Hydrogen burns more cleanly and are better for the environment!
Hydrogen boilers will cost roughly the same as the equivalent gas boilers.
Hydrogen boilers are very similar to gas boilers, except they burn cleaner fuel.
A major benefit of hydrogen boilers is that they work in exactly the same way as gas boilers – by burning the hydrogen via combustion – so homeowners shouldn’t take long to adjust to them. Hot flue gases can then be used to heat water and radiators, or they can also be stored for later use.
When it comes to costs, things are a little murky for hydrogen boilers, since they’re still in the prototype stage. However, many manufacturers are confident they won’t cost any more than natural gas boilers.
Infrared panels
Infrared panels are pretty new to the UK heating scene, but have a promising future ahead of them.
Unlike gas boilers, infrared systems heat objects directly, rather than warming the air in a room. Panels propped up onto the walls or ceilings channel radiation to specific areas of the property. Although the word ‘radiation’ might trigger warning signals in your mind, rest assured that this heating method is 100% natural and risk free.
An infrared panel system for a three-bedroom house should cost around £6,000, but this can fluctuate since you’ll need at least one panel for each room.
As well as reducing home emissions, infrared heating can lower heating costs by 30-50% – but this will depend on the construction of your home, the property’s ceiling height, and how well insulated it is.
Users should bear in mind that, to fully replace the functionality of a boiler, infrared panels need to be paired with an air-sourced hot water cylinder.
Heat Pumps installers near me
Your first point of call should be one of the trusted trader sites
Check A Trade
Gas Boiler Ban – When Does This Come Into Effect?
What does the gas boiler ban actually mean?
In a bid to reduce the UK’s emissions, and help the country hit its net zero by 2050 target, the government has announced a ban on gas boilers.
The gas boiler ban doesn’t apply to properties that were built before 2025, but there will be no new gas boilers fiited in newly built homes from 2025.
All new homes will have to have a renewable heating system fitted as their main form of heating such as heat pumps for example.
Why are gas boilers being phased out?
The UK government has committed to reduce carbon emissions to net zero by 2050.
Moving the UK to an alternative to fossil fuels is absolutely key to reaching net zero.
This is a massive target and looking at heating is the first port of call.
Do I need to replace my gas boiler?
There is no legislation on gas boilers that will force you to scrap or replace your existing boiler, either before or after 2025.
You can continue to use it until 2035 when we believe gas boilers will no longer be on sale.
You have another 12 years or so of use out of your boiler.
What does this mean for the UK?
- Fewer carbon emissions,
- less air pollution,
- cleaner water, and
- hitting the goal of net zero for 2050.
Households are being given grants to replace their old gas boiler with renewable heating.
Will you have to stop using your gas boiler?
Since 85% of UK homes are still heated by carbon-heavy natural gas, the gas boiler ban will end up impacting most Brits eventually – but the changes for existing homes won’t be brought in until 2035.
Before you panic, note that no one will be forced to remove their existing boilers after this date, according to the government.
Instead, homeowners will have to look for alternatives once their existing boiler comes to the end of its life.
How To Apply For A Free Boiler Grant
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