Guide · Grants
Boiler Upgrade Scheme eligibility
Who qualifies for the £7,500 grant in England & Wales, the EPC catch most people miss, and how the application actually works.
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme pays a £7,500 grant (£7,500 for ground source too) to homeowners in England and Wales replacing a fossil-fuel boiler with a heat pump. You qualify if you own the property, have a valid EPC with no outstanding loft or cavity insulation recommendations, and use an MCS-certified installer. The grant runs to 2028.
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Eligibility checklist
- Property is in England or Wales.
- You own it (or you're a small private landlord).
- Valid EPC issued within the last 10 years — no outstanding recommendations for loft or cavity wall insulation.
- You're replacing a fossil-fuel system (gas, oil, LPG, electric direct).
- The new heat pump meets MCS standards and is installed by an MCS-certified company.
The EPC trap
The single most common rejection reason is an EPC that flags loft or cavity insulation as missing. If yours does, you either need to fit that insulation first or commission a new EPC after improvements. Allow 2–6 weeks for this — it's the part that delays most projects.
How the money flows
The grant is paid to the installer, not you. They redeem it from Ofgem after the install and show £7,500 as a discount line on your invoice. You never touch the cash. If an installer asks you to pay up front and "claim it back", walk away — that's not how the scheme works.
Stacking with other support
You cannot combine BUS with ECO4 for the same heat pump, but you can combine it with local council Home Upgrade Grant insulation works. Scottish equivalents are separate (see our Home Energy Scotland guide).
Frequently asked questions
- Who is eligible for the £7,500 Boiler Upgrade Scheme?
- Homeowners and small landlords in England & Wales with a property that has a valid EPC (no outstanding loft or cavity insulation recommendations) and is replacing a fossil-fuel heating system with an air or ground source heat pump installed by an MCS-certified installer.
- Do I need to apply for the BUS grant myself?
- No. Your MCS-certified installer applies to Ofgem on your behalf and discounts the £7,500 from your invoice. You sign a consent form and supply your EPC.
- What disqualifies my property?
- A new-build (without an existing heating system to replace), a property with outstanding insulation recommendations on its EPC, social housing, or a self-build where the heat pump is part of the original build spec.
- Boiler Upgrade Scheme — GOV.UK — Official guidance on the £7,500 BUS grant in England and Wales.
- MCS Certified — Installer certification scheme required for grant eligibility.
- Energy Saving Trust — Heat pump efficiency, running cost and SCOP benchmarks (UK).
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