Boiler Upgrade Scheme Application: How to Apply in 2026

The temporary £9,000 grant applies to qualifying properties without a mains gas connection that are replacing eligible oil or LPG heating. It is not the standard grant for every heat-pump installation.

For a detailed explanation of the latest grant changes, read Get Free Quote’s Boiler Upgrade Scheme 2026 updates guide.

Who Can Apply for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme?

The scheme operates in England and Wales and is available to eligible property owners.

You can potentially qualify if you own the property, including a home, second home, rental property or qualifying business property. For a typical retrofit, the new system must replace an existing fossil-fuel or electric heating system that meets the scheme requirements.

Most new-build properties and social housing are excluded. Certain self-build properties can qualify under separate rules.

Biomass boilers have additional restrictions. For example, the property generally needs to be in a rural location and off the gas grid.

Importantly, having received funding for unrelated energy-efficiency work, such as insulation, does not automatically prevent a BUS application. However, you cannot receive duplicate public funding towards the same eligible heating installation.

Do You Need an EPC?

For applications properly made from 28 April 2026, a valid EPC is no longer a standing BUS eligibility requirement.

Where a property has a valid EPC, the installer can provide its reference number. Where there is no valid EPC, Ofgem guidance allows installers to provide alternative evidence where required, such as appropriate property, utility or existing-heating information.

This is one reason to rely on the current Ofgem guidance rather than older articles that still describe the previous EPC rules.

How to Apply for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme: Step by Step

Step 1: Check Whether a Heat Pump Is Suitable

Before thinking about the grant alone, establish whether the proposed heating system makes sense for your property.

A heat-pump assessment should consider the home’s heat loss, existing heating system, radiator or underfloor-heating requirements, hot-water demand and suitable equipment.

If you are still deciding whether the technology suits your home, see how air source heat pumps work before comparing installations.

Step 2: Get Quotes From MCS-Certified Installers

The Government recommends contacting suitable MCS-certified installers and getting quotations.

MCS certification matters because an installer must hold the relevant certification to make and redeem a BUS application.

Do not compare quotations on headline price alone. Check what is included, the proposed system design, heating-system alterations, controls, commissioning, warranties and any work needed inside the property.

Step 3: Confirm Eligibility

Your installer should assess the proposed project against the current Boiler Upgrade Scheme requirements.

This normally includes checking the property, existing heating system, proposed technology and supporting evidence required for the application.

Eligibility should be established before relying on the grant when making your financial decision.

Step 4: Agree the Quote

Once you are satisfied with the proposed installation, agree the quotation with your chosen installer.

The BUS grant should appear as an upfront deduction. In other words, you should normally pay the installation price after the grant rather than paying the full amount and later applying to recover the grant yourself.

For example, if an eligible installation costs £12,000 and receives a £7,500 BUS grant, the grant would reduce the amount attributable to the eligible installation by £7,500, subject to the final quotation and scheme requirements.

Actual installation prices vary considerably, so treat examples as illustrations rather than quotations.

Step 5: Your Installer Submits the Application

Your installer submits the BUS voucher application through Ofgem’s installer system.

According to Ofgem, installers are responsible for gathering and submitting the supporting evidence required for the application. You may need to provide information to help them complete this process.

This is the point many homeowners misunderstand: the installer is the applicant for the voucher on your behalf.

Step 6: Confirm Your Consent With Ofgem

After your installer applies, Ofgem contacts you.

You will normally need to confirm that you have authorised the installer to submit the application and confirm relevant eligibility information. Ofgem’s current property-owner guidance says confirmation should be provided within 14 calendar days or the application may be rejected.

Ofgem may also need to verify your identity.

Respond promptly and check your email carefully, including your spam or junk folder.

Giving consent to the BUS application does not, by itself, mean you have entered into a contractual commitment with that installer. Your installation contract is a separate matter.

Step 7: Ofgem Checks the Application

Ofgem assesses the application and supporting information against the scheme requirements.

An application is considered properly made only when Ofgem has the information it needs and the relevant property-owner consent and identity verification have been completed.

If something is missing, additional information may be requested.

Step 8: The Voucher Is Issued

If the application is approved, Ofgem issues a BUS voucher to the installer.

The installer can then proceed in accordance with the scheme requirements and agreed installation arrangements.

Voucher deadlines matter. Ofgem currently states that, from the date of issue, installers generally have three months to complete most installations and six months for a ground source heat pump.

Your installer should confirm the deadline applying to your project.

Step 9: The System Is Installed and Commissioned

The installer completes and commissions the heating system.

For an MCS installation, the required certification must also be produced. Ofgem can conduct compliance checks, and either Ofgem or MCS may contact property owners as part of their assurance processes.

Step 10: Your Installer Redeems the Voucher

After commissioning, the installer applies to Ofgem to redeem the voucher.

Ofgem completes final checks, including checking relevant information from the MCS installation certificate. Once redemption has been approved, the grant is paid to the installer.

You therefore do not normally wait for £7,500 or £9,000 to arrive in your own bank account.

The benefit should already have been reflected as the grant deduction on the price you pay.

What Information Might You Need?

Most of the administration sits with your installer, but you should be ready to provide accurate information about the property and your ownership.

Depending on the circumstances, information may include your contact details, property information, existing heating system details, evidence relevant to ownership or eligibility and identity-verification documents requested by Ofgem.

If the property has a valid EPC, its reference may also be included. If it does not, the installer may need alternative supporting evidence.

Can You Apply After the Heat Pump Has Already Been Installed?

Current Ofgem guidance allows retrospective voucher applications in some circumstances where the application is properly made within 120 days of commissioning.

However, this carries more risk because installing the system first does not guarantee that Ofgem will later approve BUS funding.

For most homeowners, confirming grant eligibility and discussing the voucher process before installation provides much greater certainty.

Common Boiler Upgrade Scheme Application Mistakes

Problems can often be avoided by checking a few points before work begins:

• Assuming the homeowner must submit the Ofgem voucher application personally.
• Accepting a quotation without seeing how the BUS grant has been deducted.
• Choosing an installer who does not have the required MCS certification.
• Delaying the consent or identity-verification request from Ofgem.
• Assuming every heat pump automatically receives £9,000.
• Relying on outdated EPC information.
• Starting work without understanding whether the project meets current eligibility requirements.
• Comparing the grant alone rather than the complete installation price and system design.

The grant can make a major difference to upfront cost, but it should support a suitable heating decision rather than determine the system by itself.

Compare the Full Cost, Not Just the Grant

Two homeowners receiving the same £7,500 grant can still face very different final costs.

Property heat loss, heat-pump capacity, radiators, hot-water cylinders, pipework, electrical work, access and installation complexity can all affect the quotation.

You should also consider future running costs. See Get Free Quote’s guide to air source heat pump running costs and the pros and cons of air source heat pumps before making a final decision.

If you are considering a larger property or have sufficient outdoor space, it may also be useful to compare air source vs ground source heat pumps.

Get a Free Quote for Your Heat Pump

Once you understand the Boiler Upgrade Scheme application process, the practical next step is to establish what system your property needs and what the project may cost after available grant support.

Get Free Quote can help you explore heat-pump quotations based on your property and heating requirements.

A property-specific assessment is important because online averages cannot tell you the required heat-pump size, which radiators may need changing, whether a new hot-water cylinder is required or what additional installation work may be necessary.

Get a Free Quote before making your decision so you can compare the proposed installation, grant deduction and overall cost rather than relying on the headline BUS grant alone.