Everything you need to know about UK boiler ban - including new £7,500 grant
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has announced he is upping the grant households can get to replace their old boilers.
In a press conference yesterday, the Prime Minister confirmed a target to ban gas boilers in 2035 has been weakened. The target will now aim to phase out 80% of them, instead of 100%.
He also said the Boiler Upgrade Scheme - which gives people cash grants to upgrade their boiler - will be increased by 50% to £7,500, up from the £5,000 before. The scheme was first launched back in May last year in a bid to make expensive heating technology more accessible to homeowners.
The Government website explains: “Through the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, you could get a grant to cover part of the cost of replacing fossil fuel heating systems with a heat pump or biomass boiler. Fossil fuel heating systems include oil, gas or electric.”
Do I need to rip out my existing gas boiler?
In short, no. There is not a ban on gas boilers completely - it is a ban on the sale of new gas boilers. People will only be affected when they are due to change their boiler.
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The move aims to encourage more households to replace older gas-fired boilers with heat pumps. But there will be exemptions for those who will be bit the hardest "so they never have to switch at all".
The Prime Minister said: "We'll never force anyone to rip out their existing boiler and replace it with a heat pump."
What is the Boiler Upgrade Scheme?
Under the Government's Boiler Upgrade scheme, you get a grant to go towards an air-source heat pump, a ground-source heat pump or a biomass boiler. You cannot get the grant towards a hybrid system such as a combination gas boiler and heat pump.
To be eligible for the grant you must:
- own the property you’re applying for (including if it’s a business, a second home, or a property you rent out to tenants)
- have installed (or plan to install) your new heating system on or after 1 April, 2022
- be replacing fossil fuel heating systems (such as oil, gas or electric)
Alongside this, your property must have a valid Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) with no outstanding recommendations for loft or cavity wall insulation. An EPC rating is a review of a property's energy efficiency, and it is represented on a scale from A, which is the most efficient, to E which is the least efficient.
The scheme is open to people in England and Wales, while those in Scotland might be able to get an interest-free loan or grant to make homes more energy efficient, and those in Northern Ireland can access a grant to replace their boiler.
To apply, you must contact an MSC-certified installer to get quotes for work, confirm you’re eligible (something your installer will be able to tell you) and agree on a quote with your chosen installer. The installer will then apply on your behalf on the Ofgem website and the regulator will then contact you to confirm that the installer is acting on your behalf. Once all is confirmed the value of the grant will be taken off the amount you pay for installation.
What is a heat pump?
According to the Energy Saving Trust, a heat pump captures heat from outside and moves it into the radiators in your home - this can be from the air or from the ground. Heat pumps do use electricity however the amount of heat delivered into your home is much more than how much electricity it uses to power the system. As they capture heat that is already present, it does not burn any fuel so therefore emit emissions.
Yesterday, the Prime Minister said the increase had "no strings attached" and those who used the scheme would never need to repay the cash. It should be noted that you didn't need to pay the money back before either. This is because the scheme is "installer-led" with the installer applying for the grant on your behalf and the value of it being taken off the final price you pay.
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