The average homeowner currently pays £1,200–£1,800 for a new boiler, but a government grant can cover up to £7,500 of that cost.
If your existing boiler is on its last legs or you are looking to upgrade your heating system, the upfront cost can be a significant barrier. The question of whether you can get a grant towards a new boiler depends entirely on which heating technology you choose and your household circumstances.
Yes, you can get a grant towards a new boiler. The Boiler Upgrade Scheme offers £7,500 for a heat pump, while ECO4 fully covers boiler replacements for low-income households. Eligibility depends on your home's EPC and income.
- Yes, grants are available: £7,500 via the Boiler Upgrade Scheme for heat pumps.
- ECO4 fully replaces broken or inefficient boilers for low-income households.
- BUS is not income-tested but requires no outstanding EPC insulation recommendations.
- Average boiler costs range from £1,200 to £1,800 without a grant.
- Switch to a heat pump to access the highest grant amount of £7,500.
- The average homeowner currently pays £1,200–£1,800 for a new boiler, but a government grant can cover up to £7,500 of that cost.
- The Boiler Upgrade Scheme offers a fixed grant for a heat pump, not a gas boiler.
- The ECO4 scheme can fully fund a new boiler for low-income and vulnerable households.
- Quick numbers grant amounts, household income limits, and boiler costs in 2026.
- To get a grant for a new boiler, you must use an MCS-certified installer for the BUS or an obligated supplier for ECO4.
- You can get a grant for a new boiler if you meet the specific eligibility rules for either scheme.
- How to check if you qualify and apply for a boiler grant in 2026.
The direct answer is yes: you can get a grant to replace a boiler, but the main grant for a heat pump is fixed at £7,500, and the grant for a fossil-fuel boiler is only available to low-income households.
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) in England and Wales provides grants for heat pumps, not gas or oil boilers. The Energy Company Obligation (ECO4) scheme can fully replace a broken or inefficient boiler for eligible low-income households. The key difference: BUS is a fixed grant amount for low-carbon heating; ECO4 is a fully funded replacement for fossil-fuel boilers for qualifying homeowners (Ofgem, BUS statistics, 2026; DESNZ, ECO4 guidance, 2026).
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme offers a fixed grant for a heat pump, not a gas boiler.
From 2026, the BUS provides a flat £7,500 grant towards an air-source heat pump installation. This grant is applied directly by your installer and deducted from your invoice. The scheme does not cover gas, oil, LPG, or electric boilers. It is built to incentivise a switch away from fossil-fuel heating entirely.
To qualify, your home must have a valid Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) with no outstanding recommendations for loft or cavity wall insulation. If your EPC recommends topping up loft insulation or filling cavity walls, you must address those recommendations before you can receive the grant (GOV.UK, Boiler Upgrade Scheme, 2026; Ofgem, BUS eligibility criteria, 2026).
The grant is not income-tested, meaning any homeowner in England or Wales can apply regardless of earnings, as long as they meet the property condition requirements.
The ECO4 scheme can fully fund a new boiler for low-income and vulnerable households.
ECO4 targets households with a gross annual income under £31,000 (or specific benefits) and living in a property with an EPC rating of D, E, F, or G. The scheme can cover the full cost of a new A-rated gas or oil boiler, plus controls and insulation, if the existing boiler is broken or inefficient.
Installation must be managed by an energy supplier obligated under ECO4, not a private installer you choose. You cannot hire a local heating engineer and claim the cost back. The supplier assesses your home, determines the most cost-effective upgrade (which may be a boiler, heat pump, or insulation), and arranges the installation at no cost to you (DESNZ, ECO4 guidance, 2026; Ofgem, ECO4 qualifying benefits list, 2026).
ECO4 is the only government scheme that directly funds a new gas or oil boiler. If you are not on a low income, you cannot receive a grant for a fossil-fuel boiler through any national scheme.
Quick numbers grant amounts, household income limits, and boiler costs in 2026.
| Scheme / Scenario | Grant amount | Household income limit | Property EPC requirement | Installer requirement |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boiler Upgrade Scheme (heat pump grant) | £7,500 | None | No outstanding insulation recommendations | MCS-certified |
| ECO4 (new boiler for eligible homes) | Full cost (typically £1,200–£1,800) | Under £31,000 or on qualifying benefits | D, E, F, or G | Obligated energy supplier |
| Typical cost of a new gas boiler without grant | £1,200–£1,800 | N/A | N/A | Gas Safe Registered |
| Typical cost of a new oil boiler without grant | £2,000–£3,500 | N/A | N/A | OFTEC registered |
Source: Ofgem, ECO4 and BUS data, 2026; MCS, installer certification data, 2026.
To get a grant for a new boiler, you must use an MCS-certified installer for the BUS or an obligated supplier for ECO4.
For the BUS, the installer must be certified under the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) and registered with Ofgem. The installer submits the grant application on your behalf and deducts the £7,500 from your final bill. You cannot apply for the BUS yourself and then hire any installer (MCS, MCS installer database, 2026).
For ECO4, the work is arranged by your energy supplier or a local authority partner; you cannot hire a private installer and claim the cost back. The supplier decides which measure is most appropriate for your home. For any gas boiler work, the installer must be Gas Safe Registered; for oil boilers, they must be OFTEC registered (Gas Safe Register, 2026; OFTEC, 2026).
If you choose to pay for a boiler yourself without a grant, you must still use a Gas Safe or OFTEC registered installer. Using an unregistered installer is illegal and invalidates your home insurance.
You can get a grant for a new boiler if you meet the specific eligibility rules for either scheme.
Yes, but only through the ECO4 scheme if you are on a low income or vulnerable; the BUS does not fund boilers. For a gas or oil boiler, the only grant route is ECO4, which requires a broken or inefficient existing boiler and a low household income. For a heat pump (which replaces a boiler), the BUS is the main grant, and it has no income limit (DESNZ, ECO4 guidance, 2026; GOV.UK, Boiler Upgrade Scheme, 2026).
If you are a homeowner with an average income and a working gas boiler, you will not qualify for any grant to replace it with another gas boiler. In that scenario, the only grant available is the BUS for a heat pump, which is a fundamentally different heating system.
How to check if you qualify and apply for a boiler grant in 2026.
Check your EPC rating online via the GOV.UK EPC register; you need D or below for ECO4, and no outstanding insulation recommendations for BUS (GOV.UK, EPC register, 2026). For ECO4, contact your energy supplier directly or use the government’s “Find an ECO4 installer” tool on GOV.UK. For BUS, find an MCS-certified heat pump installer who will apply for the grant on your behalf (Ofgem, BUS application process, 2026).
If you are unsure which route applies to you, start by checking your EPC rating and your household income against the ECO4 threshold. If you are above the income limit, the BUS for a heat pump is your only grant option. If you are below it, contact your energy supplier to begin an ECO4 assessment.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. The Boiler Upgrade Scheme offers £7,500 for a heat pump, while the ECO4 scheme fully funds boiler replacements for eligible low-income households (Ofgem, 2026).
£7,500 for an air-source heat pump installation. This is a fixed amount applied by your installer (GOV.UK, Boiler Upgrade Scheme, 2026).
Homeowners in England or Wales with a valid EPC and no outstanding loft or cavity wall insulation recommendations can qualify for the BUS. ECO4 requires low-income eligibility (Ofgem, 2026).
Only through the ECO4 scheme if you are on a low income. The Boiler Upgrade Scheme does not cover gas, oil, or LPG boilers (DESNZ, ECO4 guidance, 2026).
No. Both the BUS and ECO4 grants are non-repayable, provided you meet the eligibility criteria (GOV.UK, Boiler Upgrade Scheme, 2026).
