Quick Answer
You may qualify for the £9,000 heat pump grant if you own an existing property in England or Wales, the property meets the Boiler Upgrade Scheme definition of off the gas grid, its current heating system runs on oil or LPG, and that system is being replaced with an eligible air-to-water or ground source heat pump. Your MCS-certified installer applies on your behalf, but Ofgem makes the final eligibility decision.
The £9,000 heat pump grant at a glance
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| How much is available? | £9,000 towards the cost and installation of an eligible heat pump |
| Which scheme provides it? | The Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) |
| Which existing heating fuels qualify for the uplift? | Oil or liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) |
| Which new systems qualify? | Eligible air-to-water or ground source heat pumps |
| Where is it available? | England and Wales |
| When is it available? | For eligible applications properly made from 21 July 2026 until 31 March 2027 |
| Who applies? | Your MCS-certified installer |
| Who confirms eligibility? | Ofgem, based on the application and supporting evidence |
What changed to the Boiler Upgrade Scheme in 2026?
The standard Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant for an eligible air-to-water or ground source heat pump is £7,500. From 21 July 2026, qualifying off-gas-grid properties replacing oil or LPG heating can receive an additional £1,500, bringing the total grant to £9,000.
The grant is provided as an upfront discount, rather than a payment made directly to the property owner after the work. The full approved amount must be deducted from the installer’s quotation and final invoice.
The uplift is due to remain available until 31 March 2027 under the current rules. Its future value will be reviewed ahead of the following financial year, so homeowners should plan around the published deadline rather than assume it will be extended.
Who qualifies for the £9,000 heat pump grant?
Your project may qualify only if all the following conditions are met:
- The property is in England or Wales. Different support arrangements apply in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
- You own the property. Owner-occupied homes, second homes, privately rented properties and some non-residential buildings may qualify. Where the property is rented, the landlord or authorised property owner must take part in the process.
- It is an existing off-gas-grid property. The property must not be fuelled by mains gas, have a current record of an existing gas meter point, be attached to a heat network or be a new-build property.
- The heating system being replaced is fuelled by oil or LPG. Other fuels do not qualify for the additional £1,500 uplift.
- The new system is an eligible air-to-water or ground source heat pump. Air-to-air heat pumps and biomass boilers do not receive the £9,000 grant.
- The heat pump replaces the oil or LPG heating system. It cannot form part of a hybrid system that retains active fossil-fuel heating. A permitted non-fossil supplementary appliance may still be possible, subject to the scheme and system-design requirements.
- The application is properly made within the uplift period. Ofgem must have the information needed to assess the application, together with the property owner’s consent and identity verification, no later than 31 March 2027.
- The installation meets the remaining BUS requirements. These include using an MCS-certified installer and eligible equipment, satisfying the scheme’s technical standards and not receiving another public grant towards the heat pump’s purchase or installation costs.
Meeting the headline conditions does not guarantee funding. Green Energy Homes can assess whether a project appears to qualify and submit the required information, but Ofgem makes the final decision
Important: Your installer does not simply select the £9,000 value in the BUS application portal. Ofgem determines whether the uplift applies from the answers and evidence provided with the application.
For the wider scheme rules, read our guide to the complete Boiler Upgrade Scheme eligibility requirements.
What does “off the gas grid” mean for this grant?
For the £9,000 uplift, choosing not to use an available gas supply is not enough. Under the current Boiler Upgrade Scheme definition, the property must not:
- be fuelled by mains gas;
- have a current record of an existing gas meter point;
- be attached to a heat network; or
- be a new-build property.
A capped or clamped mains-gas supply still counts as being fuelled by mains gas for this grant. Therefore, a property heated by oil or LPG may not qualify for £9,000 if it still has a capped, clamped or recorded gas connection.
An oil tank or LPG supply does not prove eligibility on its own. Both the property’s gas-grid status and the fuel used by the heating system being replaced must be supported by the application information and evidence.
Does the property have to be rural?
There is no separate rural-location test for the £9,000 heat pump uplift. Many qualifying properties will be in rural areas because they are away from the gas network, but off-gas-grid status—not a rural postcode—is the relevant requirement.
Which heat pumps qualify for £9,000?
| Proposed system | £9,000 uplift available? | Important point |
|---|---|---|
| Air-to-water heat pump | Yes | The property, existing fuel and installation must meet all BUS requirements |
| Ground source heat pump | Yes | The property, existing fuel and installation must meet all BUS requirements |
| Air-to-air heat pump | No | This technology has a separate grant value and the oil/LPG uplift does not apply |
| Heat pump with a fossil-fuel boiler | No | Fossil-fuel hybrid systems are not eligible for a BUS heat-pump grant |
| Biomass boiler | No | Biomass has a separate grant and additional eligibility requirements |
An air-to-water heat pump transfers heat from the outside air into a wet heating system serving radiators, underfloor heating and hot water. A ground source heat pump draws low-temperature heat from the ground through buried pipework.
The most appropriate system depends on the property, its calculated heat demand, available outdoor space, existing heating infrastructure and budget—not the grant value alone.
Common £9,000 grant eligibility examples
| Property and proposed work | Likely position under the current rules |
|---|---|
| Existing home with an oil boiler, no gas meter point and a proposed air-to-water heat pump | May qualify for £9,000, subject to the full BUS assessment |
| LPG-heated property with no mains-gas connection and a proposed ground source heat pump | May qualify for £9,000, subject to the full BUS assessment |
| Oil-heated home with an unused or capped mains-gas supply | Does not meet the off-gas-grid definition for the uplift; the standard grant may still be available |
| Off-gas-grid home replacing electric storage heaters | Does not qualify for the oil/LPG uplift; the standard heat-pump grant may still be available |
| Eligible self-build installing a heat pump | Cannot receive the £9,000 uplift, but may qualify for the standard heat-pump grant |
| Privately rented property using LPG with no gas connection | The property owner may qualify for £9,000 if every other condition is met |
| Property retaining an active oil or LPG boiler as fossil-fuel backup | A fossil-fuel hybrid system is not eligible for a BUS heat-pump grant |
What evidence may be needed?
Your installer submits the application and supporting evidence. Depending on the property and the information already available, evidence may include:
- confirmation that you own the property;
- the installation address and property type;
- a valid Energy Performance Certificate reference, where one is available;
- a recent oil or LPG fuel receipt showing the installation address and fuel purchased;
- photographs showing the existing heat source, its make and model, and its location; and
- information confirming whether a mains-gas connection or recorded gas meter point exists.
Fuel receipts should normally be dated within the previous three months. Where oil or LPG is purchased in bulk and a recent receipt is unavailable, the most recent receipt may be used.
If the property does not have a valid EPC, Ofgem may accept alternative evidence such as fuel receipts, photographs of the heating system and details of an expired EPC where available. Ofgem can request further information or different evidence before approving an application, so it is helpful to gather clear property and heating-fuel records early.
How do you apply for the £9,000 grant?
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme is installer-led, so property owners do not apply directly to Ofgem.
- Arrange a property assessment and quotation. Green Energy Homes assesses whether the project appears to meet the grant conditions and whether a heat pump is suitable for the building. The quotation shows the project cost, proposed grant deduction and remaining amount to pay.
- We submit the application. As an MCS-certified installer, Green Energy Homes supplies the relevant property, technology, quotation and supporting evidence to Ofgem.
- You confirm your consent and identity. Ofgem contacts you directly to confirm that the installer is acting on your behalf and to verify relevant eligibility information. You should respond promptly, as applications may be rejected if the required confirmation is not received within 14 calendar days.
- The system is installed and the voucher is redeemed. Following approval, the usual voucher validity is three months for an air-to-water heat pump and six months for a ground source heat pump. After installation and commissioning, the installer applies to redeem the voucher.
The approved grant is paid to the installer, while the full discount is shown on your quotation and final invoice.
Why the 31 March 2027 deadline needs planning
The £9,000 value does not depend simply on when you request a quotation, sign a contract or reserve an installation date. The application must be **properly made** within the qualifying period.
Ofgem considers a voucher application properly made only when it has the information required to assess eligibility and the property owner has provided the necessary consent and identity verification. If information is still outstanding, the application may not yet be properly made.
It is therefore sensible to begin the property assessment and evidence-gathering process well before 31 March 2027. A late enquiry alone will not secure the higher grant.
Grant eligibility does not guarantee heat-pump suitability or savings
A property may meet the grant rules without automatically being ready for a heat pump. A proper assessment should consider the building’s calculated heat loss, radiators or underfloor heating, hot-water requirements, outdoor space, electrical supply and any improvements that may support the installation.
Moving from oil or LPG also does not guarantee a particular reduction in energy bills. Future running costs depend on the property, system design, electricity tariff, household usage and the price of the fuel being replaced.
Frequently asked questions
Can I qualify if my gas supply is capped and I heat with oil?
Can landlords and second-home owners apply?
Is the £9,000 grant paid into my bank account?
Can I keep my oil or LPG boiler as backup?
Do I need a valid EPC?
Can a self-build receive £9,000?
No. Eligible self-build properties may qualify for the standard heat-pump grant, but they are excluded from the temporary £9,000 uplift.
Does an off-grid home using electric heating get £9,000?
Check whether your oil or LPG property may qualify
If you own an off-gas-grid property heated by oil or LPG, Green Energy Homes can assess whether the proposed project appears to meet the £9,000 grant conditions and whether an air-to-water or ground source heat pump is suitable for the building.
We provide heat-pump installation, Boiler Upgrade Scheme application support and aftercare across Essex, Hertfordshire, North East London, Cambridgeshire, Suffolk and Kent. Final grant eligibility remains subject to Ofgem approval.
Written and published by: Green Energy Homes
Last reviewed: 7 August 2026.
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