Can Your Home Qualify For The Boiler Upgrade Scheme?

Could An Off-Gas-Grid Home Receive More?

Possibly. If your property is not connected to the gas grid and currently uses oil or LPG for heating, you may qualify for the higher £9,000 contribution towards an air-to-water or ground source heat pump.

There are specific rules for establishing whether a property is genuinely off the gas grid. For example, a property with a capped or clamped gas meter can still be treated as having a mains gas connection under BUS rules.

The property must also meet other conditions for the uplift, so simply living in a rural area does not automatically qualify you for £9,000.

Is A New-Build Home Eligible?

Most new-build properties do not qualify for BUS. There are, however, circumstances where a self-build property can qualify. The rules are designed to distinguish qualifying self-build homes from standard new-build developments.

A completed new-build property that has already been fitted with a fossil fuel heating system may also be eligible in certain circumstances.

If you are unsure whether your property counts as a self-build or new build under the scheme, it is better to have the installer check the position rather than assume it qualifies.

What About Social Housing?

Social housing is excluded from BUS.

This is an important distinction because other types of rented property can potentially qualify. A privately owned rental property may be eligible, provided it meets the other scheme conditions.

Therefore, being a rental property does not automatically make a home ineligible. The ownership and housing category need to be considered together.