Boiler Grants UK 2026: Free & Funded Replacement
Low-income and vulnerable households may qualify for a free or heavily funded boiler through government-backed energy schemes. Check your eligibility and get free quotes from trusted heating engineers below.
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ECO4 & the free boiler scheme
The Energy Company Obligation (ECO4) requires large energy suppliers to fund energy-saving upgrades, including free replacement boilers, for eligible low-income and vulnerable households, typically in homes with a poor EPC rating (D–G).
You may qualify if you receive Universal Credit or other qualifying benefits, or through ECO4 Flex (lower-income households, often under £31,000, or where a cold home worsens a health condition). Schemes and deadlines change and ECO4 is being transitioned under the government’s new Warm Homes Plan, so it’s worth checking your current eligibility.
ECO4 runs until 31 December 2026. Your home usually needs an EPC rating of D to G, and you qualify if someone in the household receives one of these benefits:
- Universal Credit
- Pension Credit (Guarantee Credit)
- Income Support
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- Housing Benefit
- Child Tax Credit or Working Tax Credit
- Child Benefit (within income limits)
Warm Homes: Local Grant
Delivered by councils, the Warm Homes: Local Grant offers up to £15,000 of energy-efficiency upgrades for lower-income households, which can include heating improvements alongside insulation.
Prefer a heat pump?
If you’re replacing a fossil-fuel boiler, the Boiler Upgrade Scheme gives £7,500 toward a heat pump in England & Wales.
How to apply, step by step
- Check you receive a qualifying benefit, or ask your council about an ECO4 Flex referral (household income under £31,000, or a health condition made worse by a cold home).
- Apply through an ECO4-registered installer or direct with a large energy supplier. You do not need to be that supplier’s customer.
- The installer carries out a free survey and confirms your EPC rating and exactly what is funded.
- Approval and installation usually take 4 to 12 weeks in total.
The catch: funding is assessed per home and demand is high, so a “free” boiler sometimes turns out part-funded. Get the funding confirmed in writing before any work starts.
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
ECO4 covers Great Britain, but each nation also runs its own scheme:
- Scotland: Warmer Homes Scotland funds heating and insulation for lower-income households. Home Energy Scotland also offers grants and interest-free loans.
- Wales: the Nest scheme provides free energy-efficiency improvements, including boiler replacements, for eligible households.
- Northern Ireland: ECO4 does not apply. The Affordable Warmth Scheme and NISEP fund heating upgrades instead.
FAQs
Who qualifies for a free boiler?
Generally low-income or vulnerable households on qualifying benefits, or those meeting ECO4 Flex income/health criteria, living in an energy-inefficient home.
Does it cover the whole cost?
For eligible households ECO4 can cover the full cost of a new A-rated boiler; otherwise grants reduce but may not eliminate the cost.
How long does approval take?
From first application to a fitted boiler is typically 4 to 12 weeks: benefit and EPC checks first, then a survey, then installation. Winter demand can stretch this.
Can I get a grant if I am not on benefits?
Usually no. The main route is an ECO4 Flex referral from your council, based on income under £31,000 or a relevant health condition. There is no general grant for a new gas boiler; if you are replacing a fossil-fuel system with a heat pump, the £7,500 Boiler Upgrade Scheme applies instead.