Can I get a heat pump grant if I rent in the UK?

The short answer is yes, but only if you are a private tenant and your landlord agrees to install the heat pump. The Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) in England and Wales provides a grant of £7,500 towards the cost and installation of an air source heat pump, and this grant is available to homeowners and private tenants who meet the eligibility criteria (GOV.UK, 2026). The application must be made by the property owner, not the tenant.

The key variable is whether your landlord is willing to proceed. The grant is paid to the installer, who reduces the invoice by £7,500. The property must have a valid Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) with no outstanding recommendations for loft or cavity wall insulation, and the heat pump must be installed by an MCS-certified installer. If you rent from a local authority or housing association, you are generally not eligible for the BUS. Social housing landlords can apply for separate funding through the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund, but this is not a direct tenant grant.

Private tenants need landlord permission

If you are a private tenant, you must secure written permission from your landlord before proceeding. The landlord must own the property and be the person who signs the installer contract. The £7,500 grant is deducted from the final cost, so the landlord pays the remaining balance. According to the Energy Saving Trust, the typical cost of an air source heat pump installation is between £7,000 and £13,000 (Energy Saving Trust, 2026). After the grant, the landlord would pay between £0 and £5,500. If the property is listed or in a conservation area, additional planning permission may be needed.

Social housing tenants cannot use the BUS

The Boiler Upgrade Scheme is not available to tenants of local authorities or housing associations. The grant is restricted to owner-occupiers and private landlords. However, social housing providers can apply for funding through the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund, which covers heat pump installations in social homes. This fund is administered by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (GOV.UK, 2026). As a tenant, you cannot apply directly, but you can ask your housing association or council if they are participating in the fund.

Alternative support for renters

If you cannot access the BUS, other options exist. The Energy Company Obligation (ECO4) scheme provides free or subsidised heating upgrades for low-income households, including renters, if the property has a poor EPC rating (E, F, or G). Eligibility depends on benefits and household income, not tenure (Ofgem, 2026). The Great British Insulation Scheme closed on 31 March 2026. It funded insulation measures only and never covered windows or glazing. Neither scheme requires landlord permission, but the landlord must agree to the work. If you are on a low income, contact your energy supplier to check eligibility.

A worked example

For a private tenant renting a 1930s semi-detached house in Manchester, the total cost of an air source heat pump installation after the £7,500 Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant is typically around £5,500. The property has a valid EPC rating of D with no outstanding insulation recommendations. An MCS-certified installer quotes £13,000 for the full system, which drops to £5,500 once the grant is applied. The tenant’s landlord agrees in writing, and the tenant saves roughly £450 per year on heating bills compared to the old gas boiler, based on Energy Saving Trust estimates for a typical three-bedroom semi. The payback period for the landlord’s investment is about 12 years, but the tenant benefits from lower energy costs immediately. Over a 25-year lifespan, the total savings reach £11,250, not accounting for future energy price rises.

What homeowners often get wrong

The most common mistake renters make is assuming they can apply for the heat pump grant themselves without their landlord’s involvement. Here are three frequent errors that cost tenants time and money.

1. Applying as a tenant without landlord permission The misconception is that the grant is yours to claim as a resident. The right answer is that the Boiler Upgrade Scheme requires the property owner to be the applicant, so without your landlord’s written consent, the application is invalid and you waste the £7,500 opportunity.
2. Thinking social housing tenants are eligible for BUS Many council and housing association tenants believe the £7,500 grant applies to them. The right answer is that social housing properties are excluded from the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, and you miss out on alternative funding like the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund, which your landlord must pursue separately.
3. Ignoring EPC requirements before asking the landlord Some tenants push for a heat pump installation without checking the property’s Energy Performance Certificate first. The right answer is that the EPC must have no outstanding recommendations for loft or cavity wall insulation, and if it does, you could face a £2,000+ upfront cost for insulation work before the grant is approved.

Quick reference

• The Boiler Upgrade Scheme offers £7,500 off an air source heat pump for private tenants in England and Wales, but only if the landlord applies through an MCS-certified installer.
• Landlord permission must be in writing before any grant application can proceed, and the grant is paid directly to the installer, not the tenant.
• Social housing tenants cannot claim the BUS grant but their landlord may access the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund for whole-building upgrades.
• Typical annual savings for a rented three-bedroom semi-detached house switching from a gas boiler to a heat pump are around £450 on heating bills.
• If the EPC has outstanding recommendations for loft or cavity wall insulation, the landlord must complete that work before the heat pump grant is approved, adding cost and delay.