Help with replacing a boiler or improving your heating is available, but there is no single government scheme that gives every household a free gas boiler. The support you can get depends on where you live, your circumstances, your home and the work it needs.
Some programmes can pay for agreed improvements in full. Others offer a contribution towards a heat pump, while newer finance schemes let eligible homeowners spread the remaining cost through a repayable loan.
This guide explains the main routes, including Warm Homes: Local Grant, the expanded Boiler Upgrade Scheme and the new Warm Homes Loan Scheme. It also covers separate support in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Which boiler and heating schemes are available?
Use this table to identify a possible starting point. Funding and technical assessments still apply; meeting household eligibility rules does not guarantee an installation.
| Scheme | Where it applies | What the support offers | Where to start |
| Warm Homes: Local Grant | England | Agreed home energy upgrades for eligible low-income households, paid for through the council | GOV.UK application service or your council |
| Boiler Upgrade Scheme | England and Wales | Grants towards qualifying heat pumps and certain biomass boilers | An MCS-certified installer |
| Warm Homes Loan Scheme | UK-wide | Repayable finance for eligible home energy improvements | A participating lender or installer |
| ECO4 | England, Scotland and Wales | Supplier-funded upgrades; availability varies as the scheme approaches its end | An obligated supplier or council |
| Warmer Homes Scotland | Scotland | Assessed heating and insulation packages for qualifying households | Home Energy Scotland |
| Home Energy Scotland Grant and Loan | Scotland | Grants and optional interest-free loans for eligible improvements | Home Energy Scotland |
| Nest | Wales | Free advice and, for eligible households, assessed home improvements | Nest |
| Green Homes Wales | Wales | Interest-free loans, assessment support and grants for certain measures within a finance package | Development Bank of Wales |
| Affordable Warmth Scheme | Northern Ireland | Help with eligible energy efficiency improvements | NI Energy Advice |
| Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund | England | Upgrades arranged by participating social housing landlords | Your council landlord or housing association |
Can you still get a free boiler in 2026?
You may be able to get help with a boiler through an eligible heating improvement package. However, an old boiler, a benefit award or a low income does not automatically entitle you to a replacement.
For ECO4, Ofgem says suppliers decide which improvements to fund and how much support to provide. Some households may be asked to contribute. An eligibility check should therefore be followed by a property assessment and a written funding offer. Source: Ofgem’s homeowner guidance.
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme serves a different purpose: it supports a move to low-carbon heating. It does not pay for a conventional replacement gas or oil boiler. Source: GOV.UK scheme overview.
Warm Homes: Local Grant — free home improvements in England
Warm Homes: Local Grant helps eligible households in privately owned homes, including private rentals, improve their energy efficiency. It supports homes both on and off the gas grid. Source: the Warm Homes Plan.
Your home must be in England and have an Energy Performance Certificate, or EPC, rating of D, E, F or G. Household income must usually be £36,000 a year or less, although certain benefits or an eligible postcode can provide other routes.
Following a survey, your council may recommend insulation, an air source heat pump, smart controls or solar panels. It organises and pays for the improvements agreed with you. Eligible residents do not pay for that agreed work, although a landlord may need to contribute.
This is a route to an assessed package of improvements, rather than an entitlement to choose a new gas boiler. Local funding availability matters, so check with your council even if you meet the national criteria. Check eligibility and apply on GOV.UK.
Boiler Upgrade Scheme — expanded heat-pump grants
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme is available in England and Wales. Current grant amounts are:
| Eligible heating technology | Grant |
| Air-to-water heat pump | £7,500 |
| Ground source heat pump, including eligible water source systems | £7,500 |
| Air-to-air heat pump | £2,500 |
| Eligible air-to-water or ground source heat pump replacing oil or LPG heating at a property without a mains gas connection | £9,000 |
How Do You Qualify For A Government Free Boiler Grant Under EC
Wondering how much a new boiler costs? Check out our guide on options available if you need a new boiler but can’t afford it, as well as boilers on finance and government boiler grants here.
The £9,000 award includes a temporary £1,500 uplift available from 21 July 2026 to 31 March 2027. Being off the gas grid alone is insufficient: the uplift is specifically for eligible properties replacing oil or LPG heating. Sources: GOV.UK grant amounts and approved grant categories and values.
Who can apply?
You must own the property, including where it is rented to tenants. The existing heating system and proposed replacement must qualify. Biomass boilers have additional rural and off-gas-grid requirements; social housing and most new-build properties are excluded, although exceptions apply.
These property rules differ from low-income grant schemes. Check the current eligibility guidance rather than assuming ECO4 benefit or EPC requirements apply.
How does the grant reach you?
An MCS-certified installer checks the proposed installation and applies on your behalf. The grant reduces the amount you pay; it is not a cash payment for you to spend yourself. Ask for a quote showing the full installation price, grant deduction and remaining balance. Source: GOV.UK application guidance.
For help comparing the upfront cost, read our guide to air source heat pump costs.
New: Warm Homes Loan Scheme
The government announced the first tranche of Warm Homes loans on 27 October 2026. Participating lenders offer no- or low-interest finance for eligible clean-energy improvements. Rates and repayment terms vary between products; not every loan is interest-free. Source: the government’s launch factsheet.
The property must be a residential property in the UK that you own. Eligible improvements include heat pumps, solar panels, battery storage and heat network connections. Lenders can impose additional conditions, and applications remain subject to their lending checks. Source: Warm Homes loan eligibility.
A loan must be repaid. “No upfront cost” does not mean the installation is free. Compare the total repayment, fees and term as well as the monthly amount. Check available grants first, particularly if you are on a low income.
Government guidance allows Warm Homes loans alongside some other support, including the Boiler Upgrade Scheme and Home Energy Scotland grants. Confirm which remaining costs can be financed with the lender and grant administrator; the same costs must not be funded twice. Source: Warm Homes Loan Scheme overview.
ECO4 — what has changed?
ECO4 is a supplier obligation covering Great Britain. It has been extended to 31 December 2026, with no increase in delivery targets. The extension gives suppliers time to complete existing obligations and remedy non-compliant work. Government has confirmed there will be no successor supplier obligation after ECO4. Source: the government’s extension decision.
New applications are permitted during the extension, but suppliers may limit new delivery or contracting. The end date should not be read as a guarantee that a supplier is accepting new households. Source: parliamentary answer, 28 July 2026.
Household eligibility
Qualifying benefits include Universal Credit, certain income-related benefits, Housing Benefit and the relevant Pension Credit awards. Child Benefit is subject to income limits. Households outside the benefit route may be referred through ECO4 Flex. Source: Ofgem’s homeowner guidance.
ECO4 Flex has four routes: household income, proxy targeting, medical referrals and approved bespoke targeting. The income route uses combined gross annual household income below £31,000. Property requirements vary by route and tenure: for example, the income route covers owner-occupied homes in bands D–G and private rentals in bands E–G. A referral does not guarantee funding. Source: Ofgem’s March 2026 Flex guidance.
Boiler eligibility
There is no simple rule that any boiler over eight years old qualifies. ECO4 distinguishes inefficient systems from broken efficient systems, with different replacement conditions and caps. A technical assessment determines the suitable measures. Source: Ofgem’s ECO4 delivery guidance.
Private rentals have additional restrictions. A routine like-for-like gas boiler replacement is generally ineligible under ECO4; qualifying packages can instead include measures such as renewable heating or first-time central heating where the rules permit. Landlord consent is needed. Source: Ofgem’s consumer and landlord FAQs.
Heating grants in Scotland
Warmer Homes Scotland
Warmer Homes Scotland offers eligible households support worth £10,000 or more for assessed improvements such as insulation and heating. It is not a fixed cash grant to buy a boiler.
Eligibility considers the home, residency and household circumstances. The household must meet a qualifying benefit or specified vulnerability route, alongside the property requirements. Home Energy Scotland checks the initial position and can refer you to Warmworks for assessment. Most agreed work is fully funded, although contributions can sometimes be needed. Check Warmer Homes Scotland.
Home Energy Scotland Grant and Loan
Owner-occupiers may qualify for up to £7,500 in grant support for eligible clean heating, with an optional interest-free loan. Eligible rural and island homes can receive a £1,500 uplift to the heating grant. Separate energy efficiency support is also available.
You do not need to receive benefits to use this programme. Funding is subject to availability, and you should obtain the written offer before starting work. Check Home Energy Scotland Grant and Loan.
Heating grants and loans in Wales
Nest
Nest provides free advice and may fund improvements including boiler repair or replacement, heat pumps, insulation and solar panels where appropriate. Source: Welsh Government Nest overview.
Applicants must own or privately rent their home and meet the means-tested benefit or low-income criteria. The normal EPC threshold is E or below; D-rated homes can qualify where someone has an eligible health condition. Other D-rated households may be placed on a reserve list. Nest assesses the appropriate package. Check Nest eligibility.
Green Homes Wales
Green Homes Wales offers eligible owner-occupiers interest-free loans of £1,000–£25,000, funded assessment support and grants for certain measures within the finance package. Grants cannot be accessed on their own.
Your Welsh property must be your main residence. Private landlords and listed homes are currently excluded. Credit and affordability checks apply, and applications depend on funding availability. Start by seeking advice from Nest, then follow the Development Bank’s process. Check Green Homes Wales.
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme is also available in Wales, subject to its own rules.
Heating support in Northern Ireland
Affordable Warmth Scheme
The Affordable Warmth Scheme supports qualifying owner-occupiers and private tenants with energy efficiency improvements. The published household income threshold is gross annual income below £23,000. Contact NI Energy Advice for assessment and application support. Source: nidirect.
The published grant maximum is normally £7,500 per property, increasing to £10,000 where approved solid wall insulation is installed. These limits cover the eligible package rather than a boiler alone. Source: NI Housing Executive scheme specification.
Planned: Warm Healthy Homes Fund
Northern Ireland is developing a Warm Healthy Homes Fund to replace Affordable Warmth. The Department for Communities currently expects it to become its main private-sector fuel-poverty intervention from April 2027. Treat this as a forthcoming programme, rather than an open grant with final eligibility rules. Source: Department for Communities.
The separate Northern Ireland Boiler Replacement Scheme is closed. It should not be confused with either Affordable Warmth or the England-and-Wales Boiler Upgrade Scheme. Source: GOV.UK.
What if you live in social housing?
In England, the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund helps participating landlords arrange energy performance upgrades and low-carbon heating. Wave 3 delivery runs to September 2028, although the landlord application window has closed.
Tenants should contact their housing association or council landlord about planned improvements. This is not an individual tenant application for a boiler grant. Source: GOV.UK Social Housing Fund guidance.
Which older schemes have closed?
- Great British Insulation Scheme: closed to new installations on 31 March 2026. Source: Ofgem.
- Home Upgrade Grant Phase 2: officially closed in March 2025, although some delivery extensions followed. For current low-income support in England, check Warm Homes: Local Grant. Source: government HUG statistics.
The Warm Homes Plan is the wider government policy framework. Use the named programme’s application route to establish what is available for your home. Source: Warm Homes Plan.
How to apply for heating support
- Choose the route for your country and tenure. Start with the table above. Social tenants should contact their landlord; private tenants should establish what consent is needed.
- Prepare your household and property details. Have your address, heating type, EPC if available, and any relevant income or benefit evidence ready.
- Contact the official scheme route. Ask whether funding is available locally and whether new applications are being accepted.
- Get the home assessed. The recommended work should respond to your property’s needs, including insulation, ventilation and heating suitability.
- Read the written offer. Check the full cost, grant contribution, any payment or loan, what work is included and the aftercare arrangements before committing.
Use the scheme-specific process before booking work. Avoid relying on a general promise of a “free boiler” or assuming that an online enquiry amounts to funding approval.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to receive benefits?
Not for every scheme. Some programmes have low-income or other qualifying routes, while heat-pump grants and finance products have different eligibility tests. Check the relevant scheme rather than using a single benefits checklist for all support.
Is every funded heating installation completely free?
No. A fully funded package, a contribution towards installation and a repayable loan have different effects on what you pay. Ask for a written breakdown before agreeing to work.
Can I choose a gas boiler instead of a heat pump?
Your choice depends on the programme and the assessment. A heat-pump grant cannot simply be redirected to a conventional gas boiler. If you specifically need help with gas heating, ask the relevant scheme whether that measure is eligible for your home.
Can I use more than one scheme?
Sometimes, but funding combinations and the order of work have scheme-specific rules. Tell each administrator about other support and get confirmation before proceeding. Do not assume separate grants can be added together to pay for the same work.
What should I do if I do not qualify?
Ask your council or national home-energy advice service about other local support. If you need to fund a replacement yourself, compare the total installed cost of a new boiler with any suitable funded alternatives before choosing.