Ofgem updated the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) Product Eligibility List (PEL) on 23 July 2026, publishing the latest version of the register on its website1. The list was previously updated on 21 May 20261. The PEL sits under the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, which is administered by Ofgem.
The PEL is described by Ofgem as "an administrative tool that makes it easier to identify products that could be eligible for the BUS"1. All products on it are extracted from the MCS certified product directory, where they also meet the MCS standards required by BUS, and those standards are approved by the Secretary of State under the BUS regulations1. For biomass boilers, listing also requires an emissions certificate meeting the scheme's air quality requirements1.
Ofgem states plainly that the list is not a guarantee of eligibility. The PEL "only identifies products that meet the MCS standards and, in the case of biomass boiler boilers, have an eligible emissions certificate", and does not ensure compliance with the many other BUS requirements, including technology specific technical requirements1. It also does not consider the SCOP of heat pumps, which installers must calculate separately1. The list is not exhaustive: some products on the MCS certified product directory may meet BUS requirements without appearing on the PEL1.
"Installers are responsible for making sure installations meet these eligibility requirements and must not rely on the PEL alone"
Ofgem adds that a product can appear on the PEL, having met the MCS standards requirement, and still be ineligible for BUS for a different reason, in which case the application will be rejected1. Where MCS standards approved by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero have been updated, the standards in force at the time of commissioning are used to assess eligibility1. For MCS certified biomass boilers absent from the PEL because of a missing emissions certificate, an eligible certificate must be submitted as part of voucher redemption, after which Ofgem will update the list if satisfied1.
The update notice does not say which products were added or removed, and no figures for the number of listed products have been reported1.
Why it matters for households
The PEL is the first filter a household encounters when checking whether a proposed heat pump or biomass boiler can attract a BUS grant, but it is a starting point rather than a verdict. A product's presence on the list confirms only that it meets the MCS standards, and in the case of biomass, holds an eligible emissions certificate1. It says nothing about whether the home itself qualifies, which is where the wider Boiler Upgrade Scheme eligibility rules apply. For a household weighing up a switch away from a gas boiler, the practical effect is that the equipment and the property are assessed separately, and a listed product does not by itself secure the grant. The application process and the voucher redemption deadline remain governed by the scheme regulations and Ofgem's guidance1.
What happens next
Ofgem has not announced a date for the next PEL update. The list is revised periodically; the two most recent updates recorded on the publication page are 23 July 2026 and 21 May 20261.
Sources1 cited
- Boiler Upgrade Scheme: Product Eligibility List | Ofgem, ofgem.gov.uk