Independent information service
Grant information is sourced from Ofgem, gov.uk, and official scheme publications. Eligibility criteria and funding availability can change. We are not a grant provider or government body. Always verify current eligibility through official channels.
Reality check
Setting expectations
Boiler replacement grants are frequently advertised online as "free boilers for everyone." The reality is more nuanced. According to Ofgem and gov.uk, the schemes that pay for a replacement outright are aimed at low-income households, and they typically cover:
- Repair or replacement of broken or inefficient boilers in low-income households
- Not upgrades for working systems in households that don't meet income or benefit criteria
- Eligibility is based on benefits received, property EPC rating, and household income
If your boiler is working and you are not on qualifying benefits, the low-income routes are unlikely to apply to you. The Boiler Upgrade Scheme is the exception: it has no benefits test, no income test and no EPC requirement, so a working boiler can still be replaced with a heat pump under it. For a like-for-like gas replacement, a standard boiler replacement from a Gas Safe engineer typically costs £2,000–£4,000, depending on the boiler type you choose.
Available boiler grants
Main route
Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) and ECO4
According to gov.uk, the Boiler Upgrade Scheme is now the main route for funded heating work, offering a £7,500 grant towards replacing a gas, oil, or LPG boiler with an air source or ground source heat pump. It runs in England and Wales, and its terms are quite different from the low-income schemes: there is no benefits test, no income test and no EPC requirement. You need to own the property — including if it is business premises, a second home, or a property you rent out to tenants — and be replacing a fossil fuel heating system; social housing is excluded. An MCS-certified installer applies to Ofgem on your behalf and the grant comes off your quote, so you never handle the money. Applications close 31 December 2029. For low-income and vulnerable households, the Warm Homes: Local Grant (England only) and ECO Flex (the discretionary council route) may fund heating improvements. ECO4, which also fills this role, is open until 31 December 2026 — the installation must be completed by that date, and it is not a grant scheme, so what a household gets depends on the supplier or installer that takes the job on.
What ECO4 covers
- Broken boiler repair or replacement
- Like-for-like gas boiler replacement
- Upgrade to heat pump (where suitable)
- Often bundled with insulation measures
ECO4 eligibility (according to gov.uk)
- Receiving qualifying benefits (e.g. Universal Credit, Pension Credit, Child Tax Credit), or a council referral through ECO4 Flex if you are not on benefits
- Property EPC band D to G for owner-occupiers, or E to G for private renters
- Owner-occupier or private tenant
- Existing boiler broken or rated G/F on efficiency
Wider strategy
Warm Homes Plan
According to gov.uk, the Warm Homes Plan is the government's broader strategy for improving home energy efficiency in England. It encompasses multiple funding streams including grants for insulation, heating upgrades, and comprehensive energy efficiency measures.
Specific funding is delivered through programmes like the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (England and Wales) and the Warm Homes: Local Grant (England only). ECO4 runs alongside them until 31 December 2026, by which date any installation must be completed. The Great British Insulation Scheme, which previously delivered insulation under this heading, ended on 31 March 2026 and is closed. The plan aims to upgrade homes to at least EPC band C where practical and cost-effective.
The Warm Homes: Local Grant runs in England only. It does not cover Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland — Wales has Nest, Scotland has Home Energy Scotland, and Northern Ireland has NISEP and the Affordable Warmth Scheme through the Housing Executive. In England the delivery window runs to 31 March 2028 and you start at gov.uk, which passes your details to your council; the council surveys the property, decides and pays for the work, so meeting the criteria is not the same as getting a grant. Broadly, the home needs an EPC of D, E, F or G, and the household one of three routes: an income of £36,000 a year or less, a qualifying means-tested benefit, or an address in one of the listed low-income postcodes. It covers owner-occupiers and private tenants, not social housing.
Council pathway
LA Flex (Local Authority Flexibility)
According to Ofgem, the LA Flex (ECO Flex) pathway allows local authorities to refer households that don't meet the standard benefit criteria but are considered fuel-poor or vulnerable. This can include households on low income who don't claim benefits, or those with health conditions affected by cold housing. It is not a scheme in its own right — it is the council route into ECO4, so it ends when ECO4 does on 31 December 2026, and the installation has to be finished by that date.
Contact your local council to find out if they participate in LA Flex and what their specific criteria are, as these vary by area.
Check your boiler grant eligibility
What ECO4 covers and who it is aimed at, with a postcode check you can run next. Indicative only — the supplier, installer or council decides, not us.
Key eligibility factors:
- Open now — the installation must be completed by 31 December 2026
- England, Scotland or Wales (not Northern Ireland)
- On a qualifying benefit, in social housing rated EPC E–G, or referred through ECO4 Flex by a council that takes part
- Eligibility is not a guarantee — suppliers decide which measures they fund
Check your property against the live MHCLG EPC register to see your current band and the schemes you may qualify for — free, in under a minute.
Check your propertyThe gas boiler phase-out: what you need to know
According to gov.uk, gas boilers will be banned in new-build homes from 2035. This means all newly constructed properties from that date will need alternative heating — typically heat pumps. However, there is currently no ban on installing gas boilers in existing homes.
If your existing gas boiler breaks down, you can still replace it with another gas boiler. The government's approach is a gradual transition, with incentives like the Boiler Upgrade Scheme encouraging voluntary adoption of heat pumps rather than mandatory replacement.
For most homeowners, the practical advice is: maintain your current boiler, and when it needs replacing, consider both a new gas boiler and a heat pump. The best choice depends on your property type, insulation level, and budget.
What does a boiler grant cover?
Boiler repair
If your boiler can be repaired rather than replaced, ECO4 may fund the repair — through an obligated energy supplier, or through a council referral under ECO Flex. It is open until 31 December 2026 and needs the work finished by then; in England, low-income heating support also routes through the Warm Homes: Local Grant. This is assessed by the installer on a case-by-case basis.
Like-for-like replacement
A broken gas boiler can typically be replaced with a new, more efficient gas boiler. This is the most common outcome under ECO4, which is open until 31 December 2026 and needs the work finished by then; in England, low-income heating support also routes through the Warm Homes: Local Grant.
Upgrade to heat pump
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme puts a £7,500 grant towards replacing a gas, oil or LPG boiler with an air source or ground source heat pump. There is no insulation or EPC condition attached to the grant, though insulation affects how well a heat pump performs, so your installer will raise it if the property needs work.
Check your boiler grant eligibility
See which boiler replacement schemes fit your situation. Energy Pages will go through the criteria with you and put you in touch with installers in your area. Whether a scheme funds the work is decided by the supplier or the council, not by Energy Pages.
Free, no obligation. Energy Pages can tell you which schemes you appear to meet the criteria for; only the supplier or council running the scheme can confirm you qualify.
Related guides
Hub
All energy grants
Complete hub of energy grants available in the UK. Boilers, heat pumps, insulation, and solar.
Read guide →ECO4
ECO4 scheme
ECO4 is open until 31 December 2026, and the work has to be finished by then. See what it covers, who qualifies, and how to approach a supplier or your council.
Read guide →Insulation
Free insulation schemes
Insulate first for maximum efficiency. Free insulation grants available for qualifying UK homes.
Read guide →Need help with your boiler?
Whether you qualify for a grant or need to find a Gas Safe engineer for a private replacement, we can help you find the right solution.
Next step
Calculator
Run the eligibility wizard
BUS replaces gas/oil/LPG boilers with heat pumps. The wizard checks every grant against your property.
Installers
Find Boiler Upgrade Scheme installers
A BUS grant is claimed by an MCS-certified installer on your behalf. Browse installers verified for the work by county.