£9,000 Heat Pump Grant From 21 July 2026: Who Qualifies?
Updated: 15 July 2026
From 21 July 2026, eligible property owners in England and Wales can receive a £9,000 Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant towards the cost of installing certain types of heat pump.
But the new £9,000 rate does not apply to every home or every heat pump installation.
To qualify for the £9,000 grant, the property will generally need to:
- be in England or Wales;
- be an eligible off-gas-grid property;
- currently use oil or LPG as the heating system being replaced;
- replace that system with an eligible air-to-water heat pump or ground-source heat pump; and
- meet the wider rules of the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, or BUS.
Check your ECO4 eligibility
Answer a few quick questions to see whether your household may qualify for ECO4 support.
The £9,000 uplift is due to take effect on 21 July 2026 and is currently available for eligible installations until 31 March 2027.
For households that do not meet the special £9,000 criteria, other Boiler Upgrade Scheme grants may still be available, including the standard £7,500 grant for qualifying air-to-water and ground-source heat pumps.
This guide explains exactly who qualifies, who does not, how the £9,000 grant works and what you need to do next.
Quick Answer:
You may qualify for the £9,000 heat pump grant from 21 July 2026 if you own an eligible property in England or Wales that is classed as off the gas grid, you are replacing an oil or LPG heating system, and you install a qualifying air-to-water or ground-source heat pump through the Boiler Upgrade Scheme.
What Is the New £9,000 Heat Pump Grant?
The £9,000 heat pump grant is an increased grant available through the UK Government’s Boiler Upgrade Scheme.
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme is designed to reduce the upfront cost of replacing an existing fossil-fuel or eligible electric heating system with a lower-carbon heating system.
From 21 July 2026, the grant value increases from the standard £7,500 to £9,000 for a specific group of eligible off-gas-grid properties.
The increase is worth an additional:
£9,000 − £7,500 = £1,500
So qualifying households can receive £1,500 more support than the standard heat pump grant.
Importantly, this is not a cash payment made directly to the homeowner. The scheme is installer-led. An eligible installer applies for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme voucher on behalf of the property owner, and the full grant should appear as an upfront discount on the quote and final invoice.
£9,000 Heat Pump Grant Eligibility at a Glance
Use this table as a quick initial check.
| Eligibility question | Requirement for the £9,000 grant |
|---|---|
| Where is the property? | England or Wales |
| Must you own the property? | Yes |
| Must the property be off the gas grid? | Yes |
| Which existing heating fuels qualify for the £9,000 uplift? | Oil or LPG |
| Does a gas boiler qualify for £9,000? | No |
| Does electric heating qualify for £9,000? | No |
| Does coal heating qualify for £9,000? | No |
| Which heat pumps qualify for £9,000? | Air-to-water and qualifying ground-source heat pumps |
| Does an air-to-air heat pump qualify for £9,000? | No |
| Does a biomass boiler qualify for £9,000? | No |
| Is the scheme means-tested? | The Boiler Upgrade Scheme is based on property and installation eligibility rather than a general household-income test |
| Can landlords potentially qualify? | Yes, where the owner and property meet the rules |
| Can a second home potentially qualify? | Yes, where the owner and property meet the rules |
| Can a business property potentially qualify? | Certain eligible properties can qualify |
| Are social housing properties eligible? | No |
| Are ordinary new-build developments eligible? | Generally no |
| When does the £9,000 rate start? | 21 July 2026 |
| Current end date for the uplift | 31 March 2027 |
Meeting one or two of these conditions is not enough. The property and installation must satisfy the full Boiler Upgrade Scheme rules.
Who Qualifies for the £9,000 Heat Pump Grant?
1. Your Property Must Be in England or Wales
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme operates in England and Wales.
A property in Scotland does not qualify for the £9,000 Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant under these rules. Scotland has separate home-energy support programmes.
Northern Ireland also has separate arrangements.
Therefore, the first question is simple:
Is the property you want to upgrade in England or Wales?
If the answer is no, this particular £9,000 BUS grant is not the relevant scheme.
2. You Must Own the Property
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme is available to qualifying property owners.
Depending on the property and other eligibility conditions, this can include owners of:
- their main home;
- a second home;
- a property rented to tenants; or
- an eligible building used for business purposes.
A tenant would not normally make the Boiler Upgrade Scheme application independently because the applicant must be the property owner.
For landlords, the fact that a home is rented privately does not automatically prevent eligibility. However, social housing is excluded from the Boiler Upgrade Scheme.
3. The Property Must Qualify as Off the Gas Grid for the £9,000 Rate
This is one of the most important parts of the new rules.
Simply saying, “I do not currently use my gas boiler,” may not be enough.
For the £9,000 uplift, Ofgem’s rules require the property to qualify as an off-gas-grid property under the Boiler Upgrade Scheme.
According to the current Ofgem criteria, a qualifying property must not:
- be fuelled by mains gas;
- have a record of an existing gas meter point;
- be attached to a heat network; or
- be an ineligible new-build property.
A capped or clamped mains gas supply meter point can still cause the property to be treated as being fuelled by mains gas for the purpose of these rules.
This distinction matters.
Example
Property A: A rural home with no mains gas connection that uses an oil boiler.
This may meet the off-gas-grid requirement.
Property B: A home that currently heats mainly with oil but still has an existing mains gas meter point.
This may fail the specific off-gas-grid test for the £9,000 uplift.
Your MCS-certified installer should assess the property and supporting evidence before submitting the application.
4. You Must Be Replacing Oil or LPG Heating
Being off the gas grid is not enough by itself.
For the £9,000 rate, the heating system being replaced must be fuelled by:
Heating oil
or
LPG — liquefied petroleum gas
This means a qualifying off-grid property replacing an oil boiler may receive £9,000 towards an eligible heat pump.
A qualifying off-grid property replacing an LPG heating system may also receive £9,000 towards an eligible heat pump.
Other heating systems can still potentially qualify for support under the wider Boiler Upgrade Scheme, but they do not automatically receive the £9,000 uplift.
How Much Can You Get for Different Heating Systems?
The amount depends on both the existing heating system and the technology being installed.
£9,000 Grant
Potentially available for an eligible off-gas-grid property replacing:
- oil heating with an eligible air-to-water heat pump;
- LPG heating with an eligible air-to-water heat pump;
- oil heating with an eligible ground-source heat pump; or
- LPG heating with an eligible ground-source heat pump.
£7,500 Grant
The standard £7,500 level can continue to apply to other qualifying air-to-water and ground-source heat-pump installations.
For example, an eligible property replacing certain:
- gas heating systems;
- coal heating systems;
- non-heat-pump electric heating systems; or
- other qualifying heating systems
may be eligible for the standard £7,500 rate rather than the special £9,000 uplift.
£2,500 Grant
Eligible air-to-air heat-pump installations can receive £2,500, subject to the scheme rules.
An air-to-air heat pump does not receive the £9,000 oil-and-LPG uplift.
£5,000 Grant
Eligible biomass boiler installations remain at £5,000.
A biomass boiler does not qualify for the £9,000 heat-pump grant.
Which Heat Pumps Qualify for the £9,000 Grant?
The £9,000 uplift is limited to qualifying installations of:
Air-to-Water Heat Pumps
An air-to-water heat pump extracts heat from the outside air and transfers that heat into a wet central-heating system.
This is the type of system commonly referred to by homeowners as an air-source heat pump.
It can supply heat through systems such as:
- radiators; and
- underfloor heating.
For the £9,000 uplift, the installation must meet the relevant Boiler Upgrade Scheme technical and eligibility requirements.
Ground-Source Heat Pumps
A ground-source heat pump extracts heat from the ground through a suitable ground-loop system.
Eligible ground-source systems can also qualify for the £9,000 rate where the property satisfies the off-gas-grid and oil-or-LPG replacement conditions.
Does an Air-to-Air Heat Pump Qualify for £9,000?
No.
Air-to-air heat pumps have become eligible for separate support under the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, but the grant value is £2,500, not £9,000.
This is an important distinction because the phrase “air-source heat pump” can sometimes be used loosely.
For the special £9,000 grant, the qualifying air-source technology is specifically an eligible air-to-water heat pump.
Anyone comparing quotes should therefore check exactly which type of heat pump is being proposed.
Do Gas Boiler Homes Get the £9,000 Grant?
No, not under the special £9,000 uplift.
A home replacing an eligible gas heating system may still qualify for the standard Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant towards an eligible air-to-water or ground-source heat pump.
However, the higher £9,000 amount is specifically targeted at qualifying off-gas-grid properties replacing oil or LPG heating.
Therefore:
Gas boiler → qualifying heat pump: potentially £7,500.
Qualifying off-grid oil heating → qualifying heat pump: potentially £9,000.
Qualifying off-grid LPG heating → qualifying heat pump: potentially £9,000.
Is the £9,000 Heat Pump Grant Means-Tested?
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme is not structured as a general low-income or benefits-only grant.
Eligibility is primarily based on factors such as:
- property ownership;
- property type and location;
- the existing heating system;
- the technology being installed;
- whether the property meets the relevant scheme rules; and
- whether prohibited overlapping public funding has been used for the same installation costs.
This makes the Boiler Upgrade Scheme different from some energy-efficiency programmes that specifically target households receiving certain benefits or meeting income thresholds.
A high household income does not, by itself, necessarily prevent an otherwise eligible property from receiving a BUS grant.
Can Landlords Get the £9,000 Heat Pump Grant?
Potentially, yes.
A landlord can qualify for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme because privately rented properties are not automatically excluded.
For the higher £9,000 rate, however, the individual property would still need to meet the specific conditions, including the rules concerning:
- location in England or Wales;
- ownership;
- off-gas-grid status;
- replacement of oil or LPG heating; and
- installation of an eligible air-to-water or ground-source heat pump.
Social housing is not eligible for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme.
Landlords should also consider their obligations to tenants and the practical impact of installation work.
Can You Get the Grant for a Second Home?
Potentially, yes.
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme is not limited only to a person’s main residence.
An eligible second home can potentially qualify, provided the owner, property and installation satisfy all applicable scheme requirements.
For the £9,000 uplift, that includes the stricter off-gas-grid and oil-or-LPG conditions.
Can Businesses Qualify?
Certain property owners using eligible buildings for business purposes can qualify for the wider Boiler Upgrade Scheme.
The exact eligibility will depend on the building and proposed installation.
Businesses considering the £9,000 uplift should have an eligible installer verify that the property meets both:
- the general Boiler Upgrade Scheme requirements; and
- the specific requirements for the £9,000 off-gas-grid uplift.
Are New-Build Homes Eligible?
Most ordinary new-build properties are not eligible.
However, certain eligible self-build properties can qualify under separate Boiler Upgrade Scheme rules.
The special £9,000 uplift has additional off-gas-grid conditions and is focused on replacing qualifying oil or LPG heating systems. Because an eligible self-build may not have an existing heating system to replace, the £9,000 oil-and-LPG replacement uplift should not be assumed to apply.
Anyone with a self-build property should ask an MCS-certified installer to assess the specific application rather than relying on the general retrofit rules.
Are Social Housing Properties Eligible?
No.
Social housing properties are excluded from the Boiler Upgrade Scheme.
Private landlords may potentially qualify, but social housing is treated differently and may be supported through other government energy programmes.
Do You Need an EPC to Get the Heat Pump Grant?
The current Boiler Upgrade Scheme rules allow an installer to provide the number of a valid Energy Performance Certificate, or EPC, where the property has one.
Where there is no valid EPC, Ofgem’s current guidance allows installers to provide alternative evidence to demonstrate eligibility.
This is worth checking carefully because older online guides may describe previous versions of the Boiler Upgrade Scheme rules.
Your installer should tell you what evidence is needed for your particular property.
Do You Have to Insulate Your Home Before Getting the Grant?
Receiving funding for separate energy-efficiency improvements, such as insulation, does not automatically prevent you from using the Boiler Upgrade Scheme.
However, the proposed heat pump still needs to be properly designed for the property.
The installer will need to assess the home’s heat requirements and determine whether the proposed system can adequately heat it.
In practice, improving insulation can sometimes reduce heat loss and affect the size and performance requirements of a heating system, but you should make improvement decisions based on a proper property assessment rather than assuming that every home requires the same upgrades.
Can You Keep Your Oil or LPG Boiler as a Backup?
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme generally requires the funded installation to replace the relevant existing heating system.
A BUS-funded heat pump cannot simply be installed as a fossil-fuel hybrid system in which the old fossil-fuel boiler remains part of the funded heating arrangement.
Ofgem’s current rules state that eligible systems must not be hybrid systems combining a heat pump with fossil-fuel heating.
Other supplementary heating arrangements can be subject to specific rules, so your installer should confirm exactly what can and cannot remain at the property.
Do not assume that you can claim the £9,000 grant while keeping your oil or LPG boiler operating as the normal backup system.
Can You Receive the £9,000 Grant With Another Government Grant?
Potentially receiving separate support for unrelated measures does not automatically disqualify you.
For example, previous funding for certain energy-efficiency improvements may not prevent a Boiler Upgrade Scheme application.
However, you generally cannot use another public grant to fund the same heat-pump purchase or installation costs covered by the Boiler Upgrade Scheme.
The installation must also not be funded through the Energy Company Obligation in a way prohibited by the BUS rules.
Always tell your installer about any previous or current public funding associated with the property.
When Does the £9,000 Heat Pump Grant Start?
The increased grant value takes effect from:
21 July 2026
This date matters.
The official grant categories and values providing the £9,000 rate become effective on that date.
Property owners planning an installation around the change should not make assumptions about which grant amount will apply based only on the date they requested a quote or first contacted an installer.
The timing and validity of the actual Boiler Upgrade Scheme application are important.
Ask your installer to confirm in writing:
- which grant level is being claimed;
- when the application will be submitted;
- how the grant appears on your quote; and
- what happens if the application does not qualify for the expected amount.
How Long Will the £9,000 Grant Be Available?
The uplifted £9,000 amount is currently stated as being available from:
21 July 2026 to 31 March 2027
This makes the £9,000 uplift a time-limited opportunity under the current rules.
The wider Boiler Upgrade Scheme has its own broader programme arrangements, but homeowners should not confuse the duration of the overall scheme with the temporary period for the higher £9,000 rate.
Anyone relying on the £9,000 amount should therefore check the latest official rules before entering into an installation contract.
How to Apply for the £9,000 Heat Pump Grant
You do not normally submit the full Boiler Upgrade Scheme voucher application yourself.
The process is installer-led.
Step 1: Check Your Likely Eligibility
Start with four questions:
Is the property in England or Wales?
Do you own it?
Is it genuinely off the gas grid under the BUS rules?
Are you replacing oil or LPG heating with an eligible air-to-water or ground-source heat pump?
If the answer to all four is yes, you may be a strong candidate for the £9,000 rate.
This is still only an initial check.
Step 2: Find an MCS-Certified Installer
Your chosen installer must hold the appropriate Microgeneration Certification Scheme, or MCS, certification for the relevant technology.
The installer assesses:
- the property;
- the current heating system;
- likely heat demand;
- the proposed heat-pump design;
- scheme eligibility; and
- the evidence required for the application.
Do not rely solely on a salesperson saying, “You should qualify.”
Ask for the proposed grant value and eligibility basis to be clearly stated.
Step 3: Get a Detailed Quote
The installer should provide a quote for the project.
Where the installation is receiving a Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant, the grant should be shown as an upfront deduction.
For example:
| Example cost | Amount |
|---|---|
| Total eligible project price | £14,000 |
| BUS grant discount | −£9,000 |
| Example customer contribution | £5,000 |
This is only an illustration. Actual installation costs vary significantly according to the property, heat-loss calculations, system design, electrical work, emitters, hot-water requirements, ground works and other project factors.
The key principle is that the £9,000 should reduce the eligible price rather than being paid to you later as ordinary cashback.
Step 4: Your Installer Submits the Application
The MCS-certified installer applies to the Boiler Upgrade Scheme on your behalf.
The application includes information about the:
- installation address;
- property owner;
- proposed technology;
- heating system being replaced;
- gas-grid status; and
- relevant supporting evidence.
Step 5: Confirm Your Consent
Ofgem contacts the property owner to confirm consent to the application and verify relevant information.
Read the information carefully before confirming.
Check that details such as the following are correct:
- property address;
- heat-pump technology;
- project cost;
- grant amount; and
- installer.
Step 6: The Voucher Is Issued
If the application passes the relevant checks, the installer receives the Boiler Upgrade Scheme voucher.
The installer then works within the applicable voucher and installation deadlines.
Current Ofgem information states that installers generally have:
- three months from voucher issue to complete an eligible air-to-water heat-pump installation; or
- six months for an eligible ground-source heat-pump installation.
Step 7: The System Is Installed and Commissioned
The installer completes and commissions the system.
The work must comply with the relevant Boiler Upgrade Scheme and MCS requirements.
After commissioning and certification, the installer can apply to redeem the voucher.
A Simple £9,000 Grant Eligibility Test
Use this decision path.
Question 1: Is the property in England or Wales?
No: The Boiler Upgrade Scheme does not apply.
Yes: Continue.
Question 2: Do you own the property?
No: You cannot normally apply as the property owner.
Yes: Continue.
Question 3: Does the property satisfy the BUS definition of off the gas grid?
No: You will not receive the special £9,000 uplift, although another BUS grant may still be available.
Yes: Continue.
Question 4: Are you replacing oil or LPG heating?
No: You will not receive the £9,000 oil-and-LPG uplift, although another grant level may apply.
Yes: Continue.
Question 5: Are you installing an eligible air-to-water or ground-source heat pump?
No: The £9,000 uplift does not apply.
Yes: You may qualify for the £9,000 grant, subject to the remaining Boiler Upgrade Scheme requirements and approval.
Examples: Who Could and Could Not Qualify?
Example 1: Rural Home With an Oil Boiler
A homeowner in Wales:
- owns the property;
- has no mains gas connection or gas meter point;
- currently uses an oil boiler; and
- wants to replace it with a qualifying air-to-water heat pump.
Likely grant position: Potentially eligible for £9,000, subject to full scheme checks.
Example 2: Off-Grid Home Using LPG
A homeowner in rural England:
- owns an off-gas-grid property;
- uses LPG for heating; and
- plans to install a qualifying ground-source heat pump.
Likely grant position: Potentially eligible for £9,000, subject to full scheme checks.
Example 3: Home With a Gas Boiler
A homeowner in England:
- is connected to mains gas;
- currently uses a gas boiler; and
- wants an eligible air-to-water heat pump.
Likely grant position: Not eligible for the special £9,000 uplift. The property may still qualify for the standard BUS grant.
Example 4: Off-Grid Home With Direct Electric Heating
A property:
- is genuinely off the gas grid;
- uses qualifying non-heat-pump electric heating; and
- is switching to an eligible air-to-water heat pump.
Likely grant position: Potentially eligible for a standard BUS heat-pump grant, but not the special £9,000 oil-or-LPG uplift.
Example 5: Oil-Heated Home Installing Air-to-Air Heat Pumps
A rural property:
- is off the gas grid;
- uses oil heating; but
- is installing an air-to-air heat pump.
Likely grant position: Not eligible for £9,000. Air-to-air heat pumps have a separate grant level.
Example 6: Oil-Heated Home That Still Has a Gas Meter Point
A property:
- mainly heats with oil;
- has an existing record of a mains gas meter point; and
- plans to switch to a heat pump.
Likely grant position: The property may fail the specific BUS off-gas-grid test for the £9,000 uplift. The installer should verify the exact status before promising the higher grant.
Common Reasons a £9,000 Heat Pump Grant Application May Fail
The Property Is Not Actually Off the Gas Grid Under the Scheme Rules
A homeowner may consider themselves “off grid” because they do not actively use gas.
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme applies a more specific test.
An existing mains gas meter point can affect eligibility for the £9,000 uplift.
The Existing Heating System Is Not Oil or LPG
The higher £9,000 value is specifically linked to qualifying off-gas-grid properties replacing oil or LPG.
Other fuels and heating systems may receive a different grant value.
The Wrong Type of Heat Pump Is Being Installed
The £9,000 uplift applies to eligible:
- air-to-water heat pumps; and
- ground-source heat pumps.
It does not increase the air-to-air heat-pump grant to £9,000.
The Installer Is Not Properly Certified
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme is installer-led and requires appropriately MCS-certified installers.
The Grant Is Not Shown as an Upfront Discount
Ofgem requires installers to pass the full value of the BUS grant to the property owner as an upfront discount.
The grant should be reflected in the quote and invoice.
The Installation Is a Prohibited Fossil-Fuel Hybrid
A funded heat-pump installation cannot simply operate as an ineligible hybrid with fossil-fuel heating.
The Same Installation Costs Have Already Received Prohibited Public Funding
Previous funding for unrelated energy-efficiency work may be acceptable.
Double funding of the same eligible heat-pump purchase or installation costs can be a problem.
Is a Heat Pump Worth It Even With a £9,000 Grant?
The grant can substantially reduce the upfront cost, but the correct answer depends on the property.
A heat pump should be assessed as a complete heating system rather than simply as a replacement box for a boiler.
Important factors include:
- the property’s heat loss;
- insulation and draught levels;
- radiator or underfloor-heating design;
- required flow temperatures;
- hot-water demand;
- electricity tariff;
- quality of system design;
- quality of installation; and
- how the occupants use the heating system.
The grant amount alone should not determine which installer or system you choose.
A poorly designed heating system does not become a good investment simply because a large grant is available.
Ask prospective installers to explain:
- the property’s calculated heat loss;
- the proposed heat-pump output;
- the expected operating temperatures;
- any radiator upgrades;
- hot-water-cylinder requirements;
- expected seasonal performance;
- the full price before and after the grant; and
- what is and is not included in the quote.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
Simple answers to common questions about the £9,000 Boiler Upgrade Scheme heat pump grant for qualifying off-gas-grid properties in England and Wales from 21 July 2026. Speak to Simple Green Energy .
Need help checking whether you may qualify?
Speak with Simple Green Energy about Boiler Upgrade Scheme eligibility, qualifying heating systems and heat pump options for your property.
Check heat pump grant eligibilityImportant Information
Grant rules, eligibility requirements and funding arrangements can change. This guide is based on information available on 15 July 2026 and should not be treated as personalised financial, legal or technical advice.
Before proceeding, verify your eligibility through the latest official GOV.UK Boiler Upgrade Scheme guidance, Ofgem Boiler Upgrade Scheme guidance and an appropriately MCS-certified installer.
