Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS): Heat Pump Grants & Eligibility

May 13, 2022

What the Boiler Upgrade Scheme means for homeowners and businesses

The government recently launched the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS), which provides payments to help property owners replace fossil-fuel boilers with low-carbon heating systems such as air source and ground source heat pumps. Looking to get a heat pump installed by expert MCS accredited installers using the BUS? Our heating engineers operate across West Sussex and Hampshire, including the local cities of Portsmouth and Southampton. Get in touch online today.

What is the Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant?

The Boiler Upgrade Scheme is a government initiative aimed at encouraging households and businesses to replace their fossil-fuel boilers with low-carbon heating systems such as air source and ground source heat pumps.

• Air source heat pump grant: £7,500
• Ground source heat pump grant: £7,500 — Ofgem

Homeowners or businesses are eligible for a £7,500 subsidy for installing an air source or ground source heat pump. As an MCS accredited installer, Clean Heat Solutions will handle the grant with Ofgem on your behalf and subtract the full grant amount from your quotation. As a result, the upfront cost of your heat pump will be much closer to that of a standard fossil-fuel system, making it easier for you to obtain the large carbon savings and operating cost benefits.

Which technologies qualify for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme?

In a nutshell, heat pumps. The following technologies are supported by the Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant:

• A grant of £7,500 for air source heat pump systems.
• A grant of £7,500 for ground source heat pump systems.

The initiative applies to heat pump installations with a capacity of 45 kW or less. All projects must be completed by an MCS-approved installer, such as Clean Heat Solutions, and an MCS certificate granted by the MCS-approved installer.

Which properties qualify for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme?

Only homes in England and Wales are eligible for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme. It is available to all existing domestic and non-domestic buildings. As with past award programmes, any fundamental energy-saving measures must be undertaken prior to the installation of the heat pump. This means any cavity walls must be filled, and the loft must have a minimum of 270 mm Rockwool insulation (or equivalent heat resistance). To demonstrate this, you must have an up-to-date Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) that does not list these steps as required.

In addition to existing housing stock, new self-build dwellings are now eligible for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme. Self-build homes must fit the Ofgem definition of "Custom Build" in order to qualify.

Partial heating and hybrid systems

The heat pump must be designed to deliver all of the heating and hot water to the property in order to be eligible for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme payment. The EPC for that property will specify the property's scope. The following circumstances are not eligible for a grant:

• Hybrid installations that include a backup boiler.
• Heating-only heat pumps that just supply heating rather than hot water.
• Installations in which the heat pump only covers a portion of the load specified in the EPC.

How Clean Heat Solutions handles your BUS application

Your MCS accredited heat pump installer will oversee the full Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant process. If you choose Clean Heat Solutions for your heat pump project in West Sussex or Hampshire, including Portsmouth and Southampton, we will apply for and manage the BUS grant on your behalf. The process for acquiring your grant is:

1. Contact us via our contact form or phone us at 07391473964.
2. Clean Heat Solutions will prepare a free, no-obligation quotation for your project.
3. Once you have accepted the quote, we will apply to Ofgem for your Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant as soon as we have all of the necessary information from you.
4. The heat pump installation can then begin, with us giving timeframes and updates throughout.
5. When the project is completed, we will redeem the voucher and receive the money directly from Ofgem.

Where we install and additional services

Our MCS accredited teams operate across West Sussex and Hampshire, including Portsmouth and Southampton. We design and install both air source and ground source systems:

• Air source heat pumps
• Ground source heat pumps

After installation we also offer ongoing servicing and maintenance to keep your system running efficiently; see our heat pump servicing and maintenance page for more details.

Get started with the Boiler Upgrade Scheme

If you are ready to explore a heat pump with BUS support, speak to our team. We will manage the grant application, design a system that meets your home's needs and carry out the installation to MCS standards. For tailored advice and a free quotation, use our online contact form or call us on 07391473964.