The Boiler Upgrade Scheme digital service passed its Government Digital Standards beta assessment in November 2022, according to Ofgem's annual report on the scheme's first year1. The assessment covered the service through which installers apply for vouchers under the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, the grant scheme for heat pumps and biomass boilers in England and Wales1.
Installers had been able to create an installer account from 11 April 2022, in advance of the scheme opening for applications on 23 May 20221. Applications for the scheme are made online on the gov.uk website1. Under the process, installers submit an initial voucher application, known as stage 1, where pre-installation eligibility criteria are checked; if successful, a voucher is issued1. After an installation is commissioned, the installer submits a stage 2 redemption application, and payment follows once the remaining eligibility requirements are met1.
"In November 2022 our digital service passed its Government Digital Standards beta assessment."
The report records the scheme's first-year figures to 31 March 2023. Ofgem received 15,768 stage 1 applications, issued 11,998 vouchers worth almost £69.1 million, rejected 1,362 applications that failed eligibility checks and recorded 161 withdrawals1. It then received 10,320 stage 2 applications, from which 9,983 grant payments worth almost £50.2 million were made, with 58 stage 2 applications rejected1.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Stage 1 applications received | 15,768 |
| Vouchers issued | 11,998, worth almost £69.1 million |
| Stage 2 applications received | 10,320 |
| Grant payments made | 9,983, worth almost £50.2 million |
| Installer accounts created | 1,055 |
Of the 1,055 installers who created a BUS installer account in the first year, 915, or 86.7%, submitted applications1. The top 30 installers were responsible for 6,001 applications, or 38.1% of the total, while 148 installers submitted a single application each1. Ofgem has hosted monthly BUS forums with trade associations and industry stakeholders since June 20221.
Why it matters for households
The beta assessment concerns the route by which installers, not householders, apply for a Boiler Upgrade Scheme voucher, so its practical effect for a home is indirect: it bears on how smoothly an installer can lodge an application and later redeem a voucher on a householder's behalf. The report states that vouchers can be redeemed within the validity period for the relevant grant amount once an installation is commissioned and all evidence required for redemption is provided1. Households weighing the scheme against other support can compare it with ECO4, and eligibility depends on factors including the existing heating system and the property's EPC recommendations.
What happens next
The report records that on 30 March 2023 the Government announced its intention to extend the BUS until 2028, a three-year extension announced as part of the "Powering Up Britain: Net Zero Growth Plan"1. In May 2023, further improvements were made to the digital service enabling all stages of the application process to be made by installers digitally1. The report states that, at the time of writing, the most recent update was published on 26 June 20231.
Sources1 cited
- BUS Annual Report - 2022-23, ofgem.gov.uk