The UK government implemented the boiler upgrade scheme (BUS) to help support the decarbonisation of heating in buildings by helping people replace their boilers with an eco-friendly solution such as air source heat pumps. The BUS provides grants to support the installation of heat pumps in homes across England and Wales.
As of Monday, 23rd October 2023, installers can apply for the newly increased grant amounts on behalf of their customers.
How has the update impacted the Boiler Upgrade Scheme?
With the BUS scheme, an MCS-certified installer can apply for one grant per property on behalf of the homeowner. The Grants that are currently available are:
- £7500 towards an air source heat pump (was £5000).
- £7500 towards a ground source heat pump (was £6000).
The scheme operates on a first-come, first-served basis. £450m of grant funding is available over the three years from 2022 to 2025. As of August 2023, there had been a total of 22,857 BUS vouchers redeemed; 96% of these grants were towards air source heat pumps.
So, who IS ELIGIBLE for the BUS grant?
- Homeowners
- Private Landlords
All applicants must have a valid energy performance certificate issued within the last ten years and no outstanding loft or cavity wall insulation recommendations (homeowners can find their Energy Performance Certificates here – https://www.gov.uk/find-energy-certificate.
Criteria that are NOT ELIGIBLE for the BUS grant?
- New build properties which the developer is still building
- Social Housing
- A Property that has already been given government funding for a heat pump (e.g., ECO4)
- Hybrid systems (Those utilising both a heat pump and fossil fuel boiler)
- If the heat pump system capacity required for the project is over 45kWh
How to apply for the boiler upgrade scheme?
You can advise the homeowner to take these steps if interested in applying for the boiler upgrade scheme. The process is straightforward:
- You will provide a quote for the heat pump installation if you are an MCS installer; if you are not, you can advise them to find an MCS installer here – Find a Contractor – MCS (mcscertified.com). To help you understand the style of heat pumps the homeowner would like, you can advise them to browse our range, as all our product range is MCS-approved. Please browse our range here: UK Heat Pump Distributor for Leading Brands | Freedom HP
- Once the homeowner has chosen you as their MCS-certified installer, you will advise if they are eligible for the scheme.
- The homeowner can then agree to the quote and let the project begin.
To give the homeowner peace of mind, you can advise Ofgem will ALWAYS contact them to confirm you the installer has applied for the grant and is acting on behalf of them to implement the scheme. Once approved, the grant amount will be taken off the amount the homeowner pays for the installation.
What are the benefits of an MCS installer working with Freedom Heat Pumps on BUS projects?
As the UK’s leading heat pump distributor, we have geared up to support you, the installer. We have worked with accredited MCS installers for years; therefore, we understand your needs and have implemented operations that help provide a seamless installation.
Our head of technical has created our Heat Loss calculator, which has been made to simplify the design process as it pre-populates the information for you and gives you an MCS compliance certificate. We offer technical advice, product and installation packs, product-specific training, and after-sales support.
Our technical sales and support team can help you with the following:
– Tenders and quotes
– Bespoke solutions to complex installations
– Heat loss calculations (both floor by floor and room by room)
– Recommendations for radiator sizing
– Ordering and delivery of MCS Certified heat pumps from global brands such as Midea, Samsung and Hitachi
– Product-specific training (online or at our training sites in Chorley and Southampton)
– Full installation accessory packs (including circulation pumps, buffer tanks, feet, flow meter, etc)
– 24-hour delivery to site/warehouse
– After-sales support
With more than 13 years of independent distribution, our experienced team has supported thousands of installs across the UK. Our technical team includes brand specialists who have come from installer backgrounds. Therefore, understand the issues you may face whilst on site and can provide the quickest, most effective solutions for you and your team.
