Ofgem has published installer guidance for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS), carrying a publication date of 21 July 20221. The document is written for Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) installers who want to apply for a grant, and sets out which low carbon heat technologies and properties are eligible, along with the roles of the installer and the property owner in the voucher application and redemption processes1.
The scheme is administered by Ofgem on behalf of the Gas and Electricity Markets Authority, and was introduced under the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (England and Wales) Regulations 20221. It has an overall budget of £450m to be delivered over three years from May 2022, and the last date on which Ofgem can issue vouchers is 31 December 20241. Account creation opened on 11 April 2022, and only systems commissioned on or after 1 April 2022 are eligible1.
Grant values are £5,000 for air source heat pumps and biomass boilers, and £6,000 for ground source heat pumps, with installations not exceeding 45 kWth1. Grants do not vary by the capacity of the installation1. Vouchers for air source heat pumps and biomass boilers are valid for three months, while ground source heat pump vouchers are valid for six months from the date of issue1.
"The scheme is installer-led, meaning that the MCS installer needs to apply to the scheme on behalf of the property owner."
Installers must be MCS certified and certified to install either heat pumps or biomass boilers1. Only properties in England and Wales are eligible, and both domestic and non-domestic properties qualify1. Properties must have a valid Energy Performance Certificate no more than 10 years old, unless they meet the definition of an eligible self build, and the heating system being replaced must have been fossil fuel based or electric, not including heat pumps1. Properties classed as social housing under section 68 of the Housing and Regeneration Act 2008 are not eligible1. A minimum level of insulation is required, judged through information on the EPC1.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Air source heat pump grant | £5,000 |
| Biomass boiler grant | £5,000 |
| Ground source heat pump grant | £6,000 |
| Maximum capacity | 45 kWth |
| Voucher validity, ASHP and biomass | 3 months |
| Voucher validity, GSHP | 6 months |
| Last date for voucher issue | 31 December 2024 |
Why it matters for households
The guidance confirms that the grant is claimed by the installer, not the householder, so a home's access to the Boiler Upgrade Scheme depends on finding an installer who is MCS certified for the relevant technology and willing to run the application1. The stated grant amounts are fixed sums rather than a contribution scaled to system size, which means the share of an installation's cost covered by the grant falls as the installed capacity rises1. The insulation and EPC conditions tie eligibility to the property's documented energy performance rather than to a separate assessment, so the state of a home's EPC record bears directly on whether a heat pump grant can be claimed at all1. The exclusion of social housing under the stated definition limits the scheme's reach across tenures1.
What happens next
The guidance states that the last date on which Ofgem can issue vouchers is 31 December 2024, and that the scheme budget runs over three years from May 20221. No further dated steps are set out in the document.
Sources1 cited
- Boiler Upgrade Scheme installer guidance, ofgem.gov.uk