Update to the Boiler Upgrade Scheme

The UK government Boiler Upgrade Sceme changes take effect.
By Justin at Checkmark |
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The changes the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero announced to the Boiler Upgrade Scheme in March 2024 Opens in a new window have come into effect today, 8 May 2024.

The changes include:

  • Homeowners will no longer have to install cavity wall or loft insulation to access the grant. This is because the requirement for a property to have no Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) Opens in a new window recommendations for cavity wall and loft insulation has been removed.

    Note that the need to have an EPC as part of application remains - this just helps by allowing an application for BUS to be made before insulating a property, for example as part of a complete renovation.

  • Changes to application and commissioning dates. An application will now not be eligible if made for a system which has been commissioned more than 120 days ahead of the application (previously any system installed after scheme launch was eligible).

  • Adding biomass boilers with an integrated cooking function as eligible for support.

  • Some future-proofing of the regulations by differentiating grant levels for properties off the gas grid and self-build properties. However, no immediate changes are to be made.

The full details of the changes are in the Government’s consultation outcome document Opens in a new window.

The related press release Opens in a new window headlines these changes as ‘Heat pumps will be cheaper and easier to install’. At Checkmark, we think this doesn’t present a major change for most people on planning a heat pump installation.

The press release also announced that the plans to introduce a Clean Heat Market Mechanism, as discussed in (this blog post) will be delayed until 2025.