How much is the Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant?

£7,500 towards an air source heat pump in England and Wales, deducted from your installation invoice rather than paid to you.

Do I apply for it myself?

No. Only an MCS certified installer can apply. Ofgem contacts you separately to confirm you consented, which is the one step you do handle.

What if my EPC recommends insulation?

That recommendation has to be addressed before the grant is claimed. A loft top-up or cavity fill is usually straightforward and improves the heat pump design anyway.

Can a landlord claim it?

Yes, privately rented property in England and Wales is eligible, and the landlord as owner is the applicant.

BUS grant applications in Teesside

The Boiler Upgrade Scheme pays £7,500 towards an air source heat pump in England, and the money never passes through your hands: an MCS certified installer applies to Ofgem on your behalf, the voucher is issued against your property, and the grant is deducted from the invoice you pay. Eligibility is confirmed before any work is booked.

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Who can claim

The scheme covers owner-occupied and privately rented homes in England and Wales, including most small non-domestic properties. The property needs a valid EPC without outstanding recommendations for loft or cavity wall insulation, the old system being replaced must be fossil fuel (gas, oil, LPG, electric storage heaters and coal all count), and the new system must be installed by an MCS certified business with MCS certified products. New-build homes are excluded, as is social housing funded through other routes, and a property cannot claim BUS for a measure already funded elsewhere.

The insulation condition catches people out

If your EPC recommends loft or cavity wall insulation, that work has to be done before the grant can be claimed. On Teesside's interwar semis this is usually a modest job, a loft top-up or a cavity fill, and it improves the heat pump design at the same time. On solid-wall terraces there is nothing to fill, so the condition often does not bite at all. Either way it is checked at the survey rather than discovered at application.

How the process runs, step by step

Eligibility check: EPC pulled and read, existing heating confirmed, tenure and property type verified.
Survey and design: MCS heat loss calculation, emitter schedule and design flow temperature.
Voucher application: submitted to Ofgem by the installer, with your consent confirmed directly by Ofgem to you.
Installation and commissioning: completed within the voucher validity period.
MCS certificate and redemption: the installer redeems the voucher and the £7,500 is already off your invoice.

What it does and does not cover

The £7,500 applies to the heat pump installation as a whole, so the unit, cylinder, controls, emitter changes and commissioning all sit within the grant-funded scope of work. It is a fixed contribution and not a percentage, which means it covers a larger share of a straightforward job than a complex one. It does not fund heat pump to heat pump replacements, standalone insulation, or work started before a voucher exists. Grant rules and funding periods do change, so what applies is verified live at the survey and not recited from a leaflet. Full detail sits in the Boiler Upgrade Scheme guide.