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25
August
2024
Updated
24
September
2024

Air Source Heat Pump Grant Eligibility Checker

Magnifying glass over the word eligibility

Overview: Heat Pump Grant Eligibility 

This page is a 10-minute read. So, if you’re stuck for time, bookmark it for later and read this short overview instead. 

The most commonly used air source heat pump grant in England and Wales is the Boiler Upgrade Scheme. This grant offered households up to £5,000 in funding up until October 2023, at which point the UK government bumped funding to £7,500 per eligible household

Want to quickly check you’re eligible for heat pump grants? Use our quick and easy eligibility checker here. 

Typical installation costs for air source heat pumps sit in the region of £11,000. So, the Boiler Upgrade Scheme won’t cover the full cost of the installation. However, financing is available to cover the remaining balance.

Looking to get exact prices on your ASHP installation? Use our 2-minute clickable configuration tool here. You’ll get fixed prices on-screen, with any government grant discounts automatically applied. 

We’ve detailed the best heat pump grants available in England, Scotland and Wales here

Heat Pump Grant Eligibility Checker

Whether you live in England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, there are government heat pump grants available that can help offset the cost of your installation. 

Image of what the first screen in the grant eligibility check journey looks like
image of Dwellow's free eligiblity checker

Eligibility criteria varies from grant-to-grant, so it can be slightly confusing to work out if you’re going to be able to access funding. 

That’s why we’ve created our heat pump grant eligibility checker, which takes less than 30-seconds to complete. 

Will A Heat Pump Grant Cover Installation Costs?

The majority of households in England and Wales will be eligible for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme. 

If you're eligible for this government heat pump grant, you can expect £7,500 in funding, slightly less than the average heat pump installation cost of £11,000. 

The installation cost of around £11,000 is typical for a 3-bedroom property with average heat and hot water demand. The price would include all materials and labour, as well as a high quality heat pump such as the Vaillant R290 aroTHERM Plus

Image of a quote screen showing a Vaillant aroTHERM Plus heat pump priced at £3,242.33
image from dwellow's heat pump quote tool

Outside of the popular Boiler Upgrade Scheme, there are other grants worth investigating such as: Nest (Wales), Warmer Homes (Scotland) and ECO4 (England and Scotland). 

Read our full guide to heat pump grants here. Or, you can read our Vaillant R290 heat pump review here. 

Current Government Grants

Governments in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are promoting the installation of air source heat pumps, to fast track towards their net zero target. 

The Boiler Upgrade Scheme is the most commonly used government heat pump grant, due to the fact that the eligibility criteria is fairly loose (we’ve detailed eligibility criteria below). 

However, there are a range of other government grants that are worth investigating, including:

           
           
  • VAT Relief Scheme: 0% VAT is applied automatically on materials for air source heat pump installations
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  • Warmer Homes Scotland: If you meet the Warmer Homes Scotland eligibility criteria, you could access up to £10,000 in funding
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  • Nest, Wales: One of the most popular heat pump grants in Wales, designed for those receiving a means tested benefit
  •        
  • ECO4: A heat pump grant tailored to households in England and Wales, which could lead to the majority of your installation being paid for, or in some rare cases, a free air source heat pump!
  •    

Read our heat pump grants page here for more details. 

Or, feel free to use our 30-second clickable heat pump grant eligibility checker here. 

Boiler Upgrade Scheme

One of the most commonly accessed government air source heat pump grants is the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS). This grant offers up to £7,500 in funding for eligible households in both England and Wales. 

You can check if you’re eligible for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme by using our air source heat pump grant eligibility tool here. 

Boiler Upgrade Scheme Eligibility

The eligibility criteria for most heat pump grants focuses on households that have a low household income, or receive a means tested benefit. 

The Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant eligibility criteria has been set up to focus on households that don’t fall into either of the above categories, in order to help the UK reach its net zero target sooner rather than later. 

   
       

To be eligible, you’ll simply need to:

       
               
  •                                Own the property you plan to install an air source heat pump in (this can be a business premises or second home)            
  •            
  •                                Not have had a government grant for heating upgrades in the past (cavity wall insulation grants don’t count in this case, so you’ll still be eligible)            
  •            
  •                                Be replacing an inefficient fossil fuel based heating unit that runs on gas, oil, or LPG            
  •            
  •                                Have your air source heat pump fitted by an MCS registered installer            
  •            
  •                                Ensure your MCS pump installer commissions the system within 120 days of you applying for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant            
  •        
   

Applying For The Boiler Upgrade Scheme

If you’re still unsure on the BUS heat pump grant eligibility criteria, simply click over to our heat pump grant eligibility tool here. 

Once you confirm you’re eligible (the majority of households in England and Wales are), you can use our heat pump installation tool here to configure the most efficient setup for your home. 

All of our installers are MCS registered, so your heat pump installation will be eligible for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme’s £7,500 grant.

Heat Pump Grant Eligibility FAQ

Still got questions? Read our FAQ below, or speak to one of our air source heat pump experts here.

Who qualifies for a boiler grant in England?

The majority of households in England and Wales will qualify for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme. This government scheme has a loose eligibility criteria. If you own your property (second homes and business premises are eligible) rather than renting, you’ll have access to £7,500 in funding to be used towards an air source heat pump installation. 

You can check to see if you're eligible for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme’s £7,500 grant by using this 30-second clickable eligibility tool

Who is eligible for the air source heat pump grant in Wales?

Similar to England, heat pump grant eligibility criteria in Wales isn’t particularly strict for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (£7,500 grant). However, if you’re looking for a free air source pump, you’ll need to meet stricter eligibility criteria and contact Nest Wales. 

To double check your eligibility for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme in Wales, use our ASHP eligibility checker here. 

Or, if you’re receiving a means tested benefit, check out Nest, Wales

Am I eligible for a heat pump grant in Scotland?

Unfortunately, Scottish households aren’t eligible for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme. However, Warmer Homes (Scotland) do provide grants of up to £10,000 for those receiving a means tested benefit. 

You can check your eligibility for Warmer Homes (Scotland), by visiting their self-assessment tool here

How much money can I get from the Boiler Upgrade Scheme?

The Boiler Upgrade Scheme is the most commonly used government grant in England and Wales. Most households are eligible and they’ll receive £7,500 in funding. 

The original Boiler Upgrade Scheme offered households a £5,000 grant. This was increased by 50% to £7,500 back in October 2023

Check if you’re eligible by using our clickable tool here

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