Last reviewed: , against GOV.UK, Ofgem, the Welsh Government's Nest pages and MCS. The installer, Ofgem or Nest decides, not this page.
The two routes side by side
Any owner · no income test
Boiler Upgrade Scheme
- £7,500 towards an air source (air-to-water) or ground source heat pump
- £9,000 off the gas grid when replacing oil or LPG, for applications made by 31 March 2027
- £2,500 for an air-to-air heat pump once installers are MCS-certified for it — MCS says none is yet
- You own the property and are replacing fossil fuel or electric heating; no EPC is needed
- Social housing and most new builds are excluded
- Your MCS-certified installer applies and takes the grant off the quote
Free · means-tested
Nest
- A package of free improvements, which the Welsh Government lists as including a heat pump, insulation and solar panels
- You own or privately rent the home, not a council or housing association home
- You receive a means-tested benefit, or live in a low-income household
- The home is rated EPC 54 (E) or less, or 68 (D) or less where someone in the household has an eligible health condition; without one, a D-rated home goes on a reserve list
- Ring Nest free on 0808 808 2244; an assessor visits and a whole-house assessment decides what is fitted
The two do not stack for the same heat pump: GOV.UK says the Boiler Upgrade Scheme cannot pay for a property that has already been given government funding or support for a heat pump or biomass boiler.
What a heat pump costs after the grant
The middle half of air source heat pump installs paid under the Boiler Upgrade Scheme in England and Wales in 2026 Q2 (April to June) cost £11,100–£15,600. With the £7,500 taken off, that is £3,600–£8,100. Source: Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) monthly statistics, England and Wales: July 2026 (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, published 27 August 2026).
The grant comes off the quote, so you never pay it to the installer. Citizens Advice: “It’s against the rules to ask you to pay the whole cost of the work including the BUS grant”. Heat pump costs in detail
Schemes that do not reach Wales
The Warm Homes: Local Grant is England only, and the Home Energy Scotland grant is Scotland only. Sites that quote either to a Welsh reader are describing another nation's scheme. Heat pump grants in every UK nation
A loan rather than a grant
The UK government's Warm Homes Loan Scheme covers Wales. Its Scheme Rules (September 2026) cap a loan for an air-to-water heat pump at £20,000, before the Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant is deducted, and require an MCS-certified product fitted by an MCS-certified installer.
It is a loan through participating lenders, not a grant. As at 18 September 2026 no lender had been publicly named, so there may be nothing to apply for yet.
Common questions
Is there a heat pump grant in Wales?▾
Yes, two routes. The Boiler Upgrade Scheme runs in Wales on the same terms as England: £7,500 towards an air source (air-to-water) or ground source heat pump if you own the property and are replacing fossil fuel or electric heating, with no income test. Nest, the Welsh Government's scheme, can fit a heat pump free as part of a package for households that meet its income and EPC tests.
Can I get a free heat pump in Wales?▾
Through Nest, if you qualify. You must own or privately rent the home, receive a means-tested benefit or live in a low-income household, and the home must be rated EPC 54 (E) or less, or 68 (D) or less where someone in the household has an eligible health condition. A whole-house assessment decides what is fitted. Ring Nest free on 0808 808 2244.
Can I use Nest and the Boiler Upgrade Scheme together?▾
Not for the same heat pump. GOV.UK says the Boiler Upgrade Scheme cannot pay for a property that has already been given government funding or support for a heat pump or biomass boiler, so a heat pump comes through one route or the other.
Who applies for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme in Wales?▾
Your MCS-certified installer, not you. The installer applies to Ofgem, Ofgem contacts you to confirm the installer and take your consent, and the grant comes off the quote.
Talk to an MCS heat pump installer in Wales
For the Boiler Upgrade Scheme the application comes from an MCS-certified installer. Energy Pages passes your enquiry to one installer certified for the work.
One matched MCS-certified installer will pick up the enquiry. No obligation, no pressure.
Independent information
Energy Pages is an independent information service, not the Welsh Government, Nest, Ofgem or an installer. Scheme details come from each scheme's own published rules and were last read on 26 October 2026. Check the scheme's own page before you apply.