Ofgem has published version 5 of its Boiler Upgrade Scheme installer guidance, confirming that MCS has redeveloped its installer scheme and that the new scheme will be rolled out throughout 2026 and into early 20271. The guidance, published on 28 April 2026, sets out the amended rules governing the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) in England and Wales1.
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) amended the regulations governing the scheme, and Ofgem states the changes came into force on 28 April 2026, applying to applications "properly made" on or after that date1. Ofgem administers the BUS on behalf of the Gas and Electricity Markets Authority, and the scheme is installer-led: installers must be MCS certified and certified to install heat pumps and/or biomass boilers1.
"MCS has redeveloped its installer scheme, which will be rolled out throughout 2026 and into early 2027."
Several eligibility changes take effect from the same date. Properties are no longer required to have a valid Energy Performance Certificate to apply for BUS, and heat pumps can be installed alongside supplementary heating appliances1. Exhaust air-to-water heat pumps (EAWHP) are now eligible for the £7,500 grant1. The scheme has also been extended to 2030, with the final date on which Ofgem can issue vouchers set at 31 December 20291. The allocation of scheme funding for 2026 to 2030 was announced on 21 January 2026 as part of the Government's Warm Homes Plan1.
Grant values under the scheme are:
| Technology | Grant |
|---|---|
| Air-to-water heat pumps (AWHP) | £7,500 |
| Ground source heat pumps (GSHPs) | £7,500 |
| Air-to-air heat pumps (AAHP), residential only | £2,500 |
| Biomass boilers, limited circumstances | £5,000 |
Only properties in England and Wales are eligible1. Vouchers for air-to-water heat pumps, air-to-air heat pumps and biomass boilers are valid for three months1.
Why it matters for households
The BUS provides upfront capital grants to support the installation of heat pumps and biomass boilers in residential and non-residential properties1. For a household, the practical effect of the 28 April 2026 changes is that the route to a grant no longer runs through a valid EPC, and a heat pump no longer has to be the only heating appliance in the home. That widens the set of homes that can qualify, including those where a supplementary appliance is retained. The addition of exhaust air-to-water heat pumps to the eligible technologies extends the grant to a further technology type. Because the scheme is installer-led, the certification held by the installer remains the gate through which a household accesses the grant, and the redeveloped MCS scheme will change how that certification is administered over the coming months. Households weighing a heat pump installation can also draw on the Renewable Energy Consumer Code protections, which sit alongside certification rather than replacing it.
What happens next
The redeveloped MCS installer scheme is to be rolled out throughout 2026 and into early 20271. The BUS has been extended to 2030, with 31 December 2029 the final date on which Ofgem can issue vouchers1. No further dates for the MCS rollout have been reported.
Sources1 cited
- Boiler Upgrade Scheme Installer Guidance, ofgem.gov.uk