Boiler Upgrade Scheme: Can You Get the £7,500 Grant?

If you’re weighing up a heat pump, the Boiler Upgrade Scheme is probably the first thing you’ll want to understand. At Eco Air Source Heat Pump Installer, our Walsall premises at WS1 is open 7 days, 9am–7pm, and we’re happy to talk it through. Homes in England and Wales can get £7,500 towards an air source heat pump through the scheme (Energy Saving Trust, 2026). Whether you qualify depends on a few clear rules, set out below. The grant comes through our MCS-certified partner, not through us directly.

Who Qualifies for the Grant?

You must own the property and be replacing a fossil fuel heating system such as oil, gas, electric or LPG (GOV.UK, Boiler Upgrade Scheme eligibility, 2026). The scheme is open to people in England and Wales (GOV.UK, Apply for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, 2026), so Walsall and the rest of the West Midlands are covered.

Some properties are ruled out. Most new build properties, social housing and properties already given government funding for a heat pump cannot get a grant (GOV.UK, 2026). Landlords who own the property are in the same position as other owners, but check the GOV.UK eligibility page for your own circumstances, as the official rules are what count.

One point catches people out: having had funding for insulation or similar work does not stop you applying. You’re still eligible if you’ve already had funding for energy efficiency work (GOV.UK, 2026).

How the Application Works

You don’t apply yourself. An MCS-certified installer applies on your behalf on the Ofgem website (GOV.UK, How to apply, 2026). We are not MCS certified, so for grant jobs we refer you to our MCS-certified partner. They quote, install and handle the application for you.

The grant is taken off what you pay. Its value is deducted from the installation cost and shown on your quotation and invoice (GOV.UK, How to apply, 2026). You don’t pay the full amount and wait for money back.

There is a deadline to know about. The installer must commission and install the heat pump within 120 days of applying (GOV.UK, 2026). That’s one reason we suggest getting the survey and written quote sorted before you commit to anything.

What Will You Actually Pay?

Published cost guides vary quite a bit, because every house is different. Here are a few:

• Around £12,000 is the typical UK installation cost (Energy Saving Trust, 2026).
• £8,000–£14,000+ installed (Renewable Energy Hub, 4 Aug 2026).
• £5,000 to £15,000 to install (Worcester Bosch, 2026).

Take the middle figure as a rough guide only. If a typical job cost £12,000, a £7,500 grant would leave £4,500 before any extras, though your own quote could be higher or lower. Extras such as upgrading radiators aren’t included in some averages (Checkatrade, 2026).

Running costs matter too. On standard tariffs electricity is nearly four times more expensive than gas, so a heat pump can cost slightly more to run than a new gas or oil boiler. A heat pump time-of-use tariff can bring running costs below a gas boiler (Energy Saving Trust, 2026). Heat pumps are also more than three times more efficient than a gas or oil boiler (Energy Saving Trust, 2026).

If You Don’t Qualify, or Don’t Want the Grant

Not everyone needs or wants the scheme. If you’re a tenant, in a new build, or simply prefer to go it alone, we install the heat pump ourselves, without the grant. You still get a free home survey and a written quote that explains the costs in plain English.

For the full picture of how referrals work, see our page on Heat Pump Grants Through Our MCS-Certified Partner.

Key Takeaways

• The grant is £7,500 for homes in England and Wales (Energy Saving Trust, 2026).
• You must own the property and be replacing oil, gas, electric or LPG heating (GOV.UK, 2026).
• Grant jobs go through our MCS-certified partner, who quotes, installs and applies for you.
• The grant is deducted from your quotation and invoice, not paid back later.
• Installation must be completed within 120 days of applying (GOV.UK, 2026).