…saving the environment & your energy bills!

Ellie Dudley explores the benefits currently open to local residents looking to upgrade their boilers.

In 2022, the government introduced a new grant, the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS), to encourage people to transition from a traditional boiler to a heat-pump boiler. These heat-pump boilers are more energy efficient and eco-friendly and could save you money on your energy bills. With the government grant, which offers a discount on the installation of these boilers, now might be the perfect time to consider a switch.

Heat-pump boilers are a great way of heating and cooling your home. They draw heat from the environment, so use less energy than other systems, helping you to stay warm whilst also saving the environment and your energy bills!

A heat-pump boiler relies on moving heat that already exists through pumps, rather than traditional alternatives which rely on burning fuel. In the winter months, heat is extracted from the ground and the air to be used inside, ensuring that you can stay nice and warm even when it’s cold outside. The heat from the air can also be used in a water system, contributing towards radiators, hot water and underfloor heating. Conversely, in the summer, heat is transferred outside, acting like an air conditioning unit for the interior spaces.

By using heat that already exists, the emission of carbon dioxide and the use of fossil fuels are reduced, making the heat-pump boiler a more eco-conscious choice. However, this is not the only advantage to having a heat-pump boiler: it is suitable for most homes, and the way it uses heat means that it could also save you money on your energy bills.

Perhaps the most important advantage, though, is the government scheme, BUS. This scheme means that you could get £7,500 off the cost and installation of an air-source or ground-source heat pump.

Another boiler on the scheme is the biomass boiler, which only includes houses that are rural and not connected to the gas grid, where you could also receive £5,000 off the total cost.

The grant is also relatively easy to access. Once you find an installer who is certified by the Microgeneration Certification Scheme – and it is recommended that you get multiple quotes from different installers – they do the rest. They make a request for BUS on your behalf and claim the money from Ofgem (the energy regulator for the UK) once the boiler is installed, before applying your discount.

…the most important advantage, though, is the government Boiler Upgrade Scheme. This scheme means that you could get £7,500 off the cost and installation of a heat pump.

So, who is eligible?

Firstly, the property must be a home or small to medium sized non-domestic building in England and Wales. There is a maximum capacity of 45 kWth, which covers most of these buildings. A valid energy performance certificate is also required of the property, and you must be fully replacing existing fossil fuel systems such as oil or gas boilers.

Most importantly, you cannot apply if you have already received the funding for a heat-pump or biomass boiler. However, you are still eligible if you have separate funding for other energy efficient upgrades such as insulation.

It is also important to note that new builds and social housing are not eligible.

In January 2025, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero declared that an extra £25 million of funding would be made available for the financial year of 2024/2025. This takes the total BUS budget up to £205 million. Ofgem has also been granted permission to allocate vouchers to a total of £280 million, producing a level of certainty that vouchers will continue to be available. In November 2024, the government also announced that the budget for BUS in the financial year of 2025/2026 would be £295 million.

Further information can be found at www.gov.uk/apply-boiler-upgrade-scheme or www.ofgem.gov.uk/environmental-and-social-schemes/boiler-upgrade-scheme-bus