Air Source Heat Pump Government Grant
Boiler Upgrade Scheme Guide ·
Air Source Heat Pump Government Grant: Before You Sign
An air source heat pump government grant can reduce your installation bill, but the amount available depends on your location, heating system and chosen scheme. Before signing a quote, check which funding route fits your home, what the price includes and who pays if funding falls through.
InstantGrant is an independent grant information and application support service. We are not the government, a funding body or an installer. We do not award grants or guarantee approval. Confirm your eligibility with the scheme administrator and your installer before agreeing to work.
About this guide: Published by InstantGrant. Research checked against GOV.UK, Ofgem, Home Energy Scotland, GOV.WALES, nidirect and Energy Saving Trust. This guide focuses on choosing funding and checking quotes, rather than comparing heat pump brands.
Last checked: 25 September 2026. Availability remains subject to scheme rules and funding.
How much is the air source heat pump government grant?
For eligible properties in England and Wales, the Boiler Upgrade Scheme currently provides £7,500 towards an air to water heat pump. A temporary higher amount applies to certain homes replacing oil or LPG heating. Check the technology and property conditions before assuming an advertised grant applies to you.
Boiler Upgrade Scheme support for air source systems | ||
Installation | Grant | Key condition |
|---|---|---|
Eligible air to water heat pump | £7,500 | Property and installation must meet BUS rules. |
Eligible air to water heat pump replacing oil or LPG | £9,000 | No mains gas connection. The temporary uplift runs from 21 July 2026 to 31 March 2027. |
Eligible domestic air to air heat pump | £2,500 | This is a separate category with its own installation conditions. |
An air to water system supplies a wet heating system, such as radiators, and can provide hot water. An air to air system heats rooms through warm air and needs a separate hot water arrangement. Ask the installer to name the technology on your quote.
Which air source heat pump government grant route fits your home?
Start with your UK nation, then consider whether you can afford a contribution or need more extensive support. An installer discount and a council funded home improvement package work differently. Choosing the route first helps you avoid accepting a private installation quote before checking other available help.
Where to start with heat pump funding | ||
Location | Route to check | Availability and next step |
|---|---|---|
England | Boiler Upgrade Scheme or Warm Homes: Local Grant | Both have current application routes. Council support depends on eligibility, available funding and a home survey. |
Wales | Boiler Upgrade Scheme or Nest | BUS is available to eligible owners. Nest assesses households for suitable improvements, which can include heat pumps. |
Scotland | Home Energy Scotland | BUS does not apply. The Scottish grant and loan scheme is subject to funding availability and its own conditions. |
Northern Ireland | NI Energy Advice | BUS does not apply. Ask about current local programmes and supported measures before budgeting for a heat pump grant. |
Warm Homes: Local Grant can support privately owned or privately rented homes in England with an EPC rating of D, E, F or G. Household income is usually £36,000 or less, but benefits and postcode routes can also qualify. The council selects suitable work following assessment. Eligible residents do not pay for agreed improvements, although landlords may need to contribute.
In Scotland, eligible homeowners can access up to £7,500 towards a heat pump, with a possible £1,500 rural uplift. An optional loan is separate from the grant and must be repaid. Funding is reserved when a written offer is issued, rather than when an application is submitted.
ECO4 is another possible route in Great Britain, currently running until 31 December 2026. It is an energy supplier obligation, not a cash grant that a household can claim directly. Eligibility does not guarantee an installation, and some offers may require a contribution.
For a wider comparison, see our guide to heat pump grant routes across the UK.
Check eligibility before choosing an installer
For a standard BUS application, the property owner and proposed heating replacement must qualify. Receiving benefits is not a general BUS requirement. However, home ownership alone does not settle eligibility: the existing system, previous funding and type of property can affect whether the installation receives support.
Confirm who legally owns the property. A private tenant cannot apply as the owner.
Tell the installer what currently provides your heating and hot water.
Disclose any previous public funding for a heat pump or biomass boiler.
Ask for a specific eligibility check if the property is newly built or a self build.
Make sure the proposed system is eligible. A hybrid system retaining a fossil fuel boiler is not supported by BUS.
A missing valid EPC does not automatically rule out BUS under the current Ofgem guidance. An installer may need alternative evidence. Do not assume an older checklist found online describes the current application requirements.
Funding eligibility and a good heating design are separate checks. Your survey should address heat loss, radiator capacity, hot water storage and outdoor unit placement. Our air source heat pump guide explains the wider installation considerations.
What should your heat pump quote include?
A useful quote shows what you are buying and what remains payable after funding. Compare the same scope of work across installers, rather than comparing headline prices alone. A lower price may leave out necessary work, while a higher price may include equipment or services you do not need.
Questions to ask before accepting a heat pump quote | |
Item | What to confirm in writing |
|---|---|
System design | Which model and output are proposed, and how does the heat loss assessment support that choice? |
Heating and hot water | Are the cylinder, radiator changes, controls and necessary pipework included? |
Site preparation | Who pays for the outdoor base, electrical work, old equipment removal and making good? |
Funding | What is the full price, the grant deduction and the remaining customer balance? |
Changes and delays | What can change the price, and what happens if funding is rejected or installation is delayed? |
Aftercare | What warranty, servicing conditions and support are included? |
The full BUS discount should appear upfront on the quote and later on the invoice. Ofgem pays the installer through the scheme. A claim that you must pay the entire undiscounted amount and personally recover the grant afterwards does not match the normal BUS process.
Work out the installation cost after the grant
To calculate the heat pump installation cost after a grant, subtract the confirmed discount from the complete project price. Add any necessary work quoted separately. The example below uses invented figures to show the calculation. It is not a market average, an installer offer or a promised price.
Illustrative budget for an eligible standard BUS installation | |
Complete installation quote before grant | £12,500 |
|---|---|
Standard BUS grant deducted | £7,500 |
Customer balance | £5,000 |
Separate necessary work, if excluded | £800 |
Total household budget in this example | £5,800 |
Check your funding options before committing to a quote
Use InstantGrant's scheme information to explore the support that may fit your home. We are an independent information service, not an installer or grant provider.
Explore heat pump grant support
How to apply without missing an important step
For BUS, you choose an eligible installer and agree the installation proposal; the installer submits the funding application. You still have responsibilities, including checking the details and responding to Ofgem. Keep the quote, application correspondence and final paperwork together so you can follow what has actually been agreed.
Choose the funding route. Check whether BUS or another programme fits before committing to a private contract.
Compare installers. Verify MCS certification for the relevant technology and request comparable written quotes.
Agree the scope and price. Confirm the grant deduction, exclusions, payment schedule and cancellation terms.
Check application details. Respond to Ofgem's consent and identity requests yourself. A request for information is not final approval.
Confirm the installation timetable. Ask the installer to explain the applicable voucher deadline and how delays would be handled.
Keep the handover records. Retain the invoice, certification, warranty details and instructions for operating the system.
For more on the application process, read how to apply for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme.
Can you combine a heat pump grant with other funding?
Previous help with insulation does not automatically prevent a BUS application. Funding the same heating installation twice is different and can make a project ineligible. Tell every provider about other support before agreeing work, and ask them to confirm which measures and costs each programme would cover.
ECO4 has additional sequencing rules. Ofgem says measures funded outside ECO4 must be installed before the ECO4 project starts or after the entire project is complete. Do not assume separate invoices make overlapping projects acceptable. Get the proposed sequence checked by the organisations delivering the work.
Common misconceptions about government heat pump grants
A grant offer can be genuine without covering the whole installation or guaranteeing lower bills. The safest comparison separates the funding rules, the proposed equipment and the running cost estimate. Each answers a different question, and none should be treated as proof that the other two are suitable.
A government grant means a free heat pump.
BUS reduces the installation bill. The remaining balance depends on the agreed price and any additional work.
The highest grant must be the best deal.
Compare the complete household cost and installation scope. The size of the discount alone cannot tell you whether a quote offers good value.
Grant approval guarantees cheaper heating.
Running costs depend on system performance, your electricity tariff and the heating system being replaced.
An installer handles everything, so I can ignore the paperwork.
You still need to understand the contract, check your details and respond to consent requests.
Safety guide: check the offer before sharing details
A genuine funding enquiry should identify the scheme, the business contacting you and what happens next. Be cautious if someone promises approval without checking your circumstances or pressures you to sign immediately. Verify the company independently before sharing identity documents, accepting a contract or making a payment.
Check the installer on the MCS register using details you obtain independently.
Ask whether the business is the installer, an intermediary or an information service.
Keep grant approval separate from a sales estimate or online eligibility result.
Read any deposit and refund terms. A request for a deposit alone does not establish whether an offer is genuine.
Use the official GOV.UK Boiler Upgrade Scheme guide to check the application route and current requirements.
Frequently asked questions
The questions below address common decisions before an installation contract is signed. Read each answer alongside the rules for your own funding route: BUS, council programmes and devolved schemes do not use identical conditions. Your installer or scheme administrator must assess the details of your individual application.
Can I get an air source heat pump grant without claiming benefits?
Yes. BUS does not generally require you to receive benefits or meet an income threshold. Other eligibility conditions still apply. If you cannot afford the balance after the grant, check whether a council or devolved programme could offer a more suitable route.
Will the government pay the grant into my bank account?
Under BUS, the discount is applied to your installation price and the scheme payment goes to the installer. You do not receive the grant as spending money. Make sure the quotation and final invoice clearly show the discount and your remaining balance.
Can a tenant apply for a heat pump grant?
A tenant cannot apply as the property owner under BUS. A private landlord may be eligible, while other programmes assess the resident's circumstances. Discuss proposed work with the landlord and relevant scheme provider before arranging anything that changes the property's heating system.
Does an eligibility check mean my heat pump is approved?
No. An initial check is only an indication that a route may be suitable. Property assessment, supporting evidence and the funding decision still matter. Ask which stage your case has reached and what remains outstanding before treating a proposed installation as confirmed.
What should I do if the quote is still unaffordable?
Ask for an itemised explanation of the remaining cost and compare quotations with equivalent work included. Then check whether another funding route fits your household. Avoid removing essential design work simply to reduce the headline price, or signing a contract you cannot comfortably afford.
How InstantGrant can help
InstantGrant helps you understand which grant questions to ask before you approach an installer or council. Use our information to compare funding routes, recognise missing details in a quote and prepare for the next step. We remain an independent support service and cannot approve funding or guarantee installation.
Find a starting point for your heating upgrade
Explore current scheme information and the eligibility check on InstantGrant before contacting the organisation responsible for your application.