The Boiler Upgrade Scheme

The Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) is a funding initiative launched by the UK Government in the Spring of 2022. BUS offers a grant to cover the cost of replacing fossil fuel heating systems (oil, gas, electric) with low-carbon heating technology- heat pumps or biomass boilers. 

This scheme is open to people in England and Wales.

BUS allows one grant per property, and funds are available for the following:

• £5,000 towards an air source heat pump
• £6,000 towards a ground source heat pump (including water source heat pumps and those on shared ground loops)
• £5,000 towards a biomass boiler

There is no grant for a hybrid heat pump system or to replace a low-carbon heating system. The system installed must meet specific efficiency requirements- its maximum capacity must be less than 45kWth.

Grant applicants need to check the eligibility criteria. All the following conditions must be met to qualify for a grant:

• Applicant must own the property
• Applicant must have installed (or plan to install) a new heating system on or after 1 April 2022
• Applicant must be replacing fossil fuel heating systems (such as oil, gas or electric)
• Applicant’s property must have a valid Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)with no outstanding loft or cavity wall insulation recommendations.

Conditions to qualify for a biomass boiler:

• your property is off the gas grid
• your property is in a rural location
• your boiler has an emissions certificate showing that polluting emissions are kept to a minimum

The BUS grant is not available to install a biomass boiler on a self-build property.

To start the BUS grant application in the first step, contact the MCS-certified installers at https://mcscertified.com/find-an-installer/ and get quotes for the work. The installer will confirm if you are eligible. If you agree on a quote with your chosen installer, they will apply on your behalf on the Ofgem website, and the grant will be taken off the amount you pay for installation.

Source: https://www.gov.uk/apply-boiler-upgrade-scheme