What the latest changes to the Boiler Upgrade Scheme mean for installers
Whether you’re already fitting heat pumps or considering expanding into this market, keeping up to date and understanding latest changes to government incentives is essential.
If you’re installing heat pumps in rural areas, there’s a good chance your customers could be eligible for additional funding through the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) temporary uplift.
The BUS is part of a package of measures designed to grow the low carbon supply chain and scale up heat pump deployment. Being able to identify customers who may qualify is important as it helps eligible homeowners reduce the upfront cost of installing a heat pump, making low-carbon heating more affordable. With this in mind, we’re here to help you understand what the changes are and the impact on your customers.
We’ll look a bit closer at:
The changes to the BUS and when they come into effect
The properties that will benefit the most
The new eligibility requirements
Changes to what installers need to do
MCS support with carrying out heat pump installations
The changes to the BUS and when they come into effect
The new changes to the BUS will see a temporary uplift of £1,500 for properties heated by oil or LPG, bringing the total available grant to £9,000. It’s important to note that this uplift is only available for properties heated by these measures and off-grid property owners in England and Wales.
Applications for this uplift will be effective from July 21st 2026 and the uplift will remain in place until the end of March 2027.
Funding under the Warm Homes Plan has also increased for the 2025/26 period, with increased funding expected through to 2030.
Those with live vouchers can choose to revoke their voucher and reapply for a new voucher at the higher grant level once introduced. However, applications will only be eligible where the low carbon heating system has been commissioned no more than 120 days prior to an application being properly made.
The properties that will benefit most from the BUS changes
The uplift mentioned in the previous section aims to give particular support to off-grid properties that are susceptible to fuel price volatility and those in rural locations. Not only will they benefit from this uplift, but a homeowner’s running costs are likely to become more reliable.
The new eligibility requirements
Key changes to eligibility criteria for all BUS grant applications are as follows:
Eligibility requirements that remain in place for BUS applications are:
