The Boiler Upgrade Scheme for Bristol Homes
Administered by Ofgem, the Boiler Upgrade Scheme gives owners of homes and small buildings in England and Wales money off a heat pump that takes over from gas, oil, LPG or direct electric heating. You never handle the money: your installer applies, Ofgem issues a voucher, and the amount is taken off your invoice.
Since 2026, air-to-air heat pumps have been included alongside air-to-water and ground source systems, which has opened the scheme up to many Bristol flats and electrically heated homes that previously had no route to a grant.
Air-to-air £2,500 · Air-to-water £7,500 · Oil/LPG swap £9,000 to March 2027Grant Amounts
| Heat pump type | Grant |
|---|---|
| Air-to-air | £2,500 |
| Air source (air-to-water) | £7,500 |
| Air source or ground source replacing oil or LPG, no mains gas | £9,000 until March 2027 |
| Ground source | £7,500 |
Each property can receive one grant only, so it’s worth deciding on the right system first.
Who Qualifies
Based on the published rules, the main tests are:
- Ownership: you own the property. Owner-occupied homes, second homes, privately rented homes and small non-domestic buildings can all apply.
- Location: the property is in England or Wales.
- Replacing the right thing: the heat pump replaces fossil-fuel heating (gas, oil, LPG) or direct electric heating such as storage or panel heaters.
- Certified installation: an MCS-certified firm that’s signed up to a consumer code fits and commissions the system.
Usually not eligible
- Social housing;
- new builds still with the developer (self-builds are an exception);
- properties that have already had public funding for a heat pump;
- replacing an existing low-carbon system, or keeping a fossil-fuel boiler alongside the heat pump as a hybrid.
Rules change from time to time. We check your property against the current guidance during the survey, and Ofgem makes the final decision.
Step by Step
Visit and design
We plan the system and send a proposal listing the full cost, the grant amount and what’s left for you.
You accept
We submit the application to Ofgem. Ofgem contacts you to confirm you’re happy for it to go ahead.
Voucher issued
Once Ofgem is satisfied, a voucher is issued for a fixed period.
Install and commission
The system is installed and commissioned to MCS standards.
Redemption
We redeem the voucher and you pay the balance shown on your quote.
What This Means for Bristol Flats
Bristol has a large number of electrically heated flats — in purpose-built blocks around the centre and Harbourside, in converted Georgian and Victorian houses in Clifton, Redland and Cotham, and in post-war council-built blocks now in private ownership. Electric heating is on the scheme’s list of systems you can replace, so many of these owners qualify for £2,500 towards air-to-air. See storage heater replacement for more.
Homes on Oil or LPG
Mains gas reaches most of the city, though houses out towards Dundry, Winford, the Chew Valley and the Severnside villages may burn oil or LPG. If you’re one of them, the £1,500 off-gas uplift brings the air-to-water grant to £9,000 until March 2027.
Choosing Between £2,500 and £7,500
Because you can only claim once, think about the long-term plan first. A family house with radiators and an ageing gas boiler will usually get more from the £7,500 air-to-water grant, because it replaces the whole heating and hot water system. A flat on storage heaters, or a home where you want to heat and cool the main rooms, is often better served by the £2,500 air-to-air grant. Where both are realistic, the survey proposal sets out each option side by side.
What We Check on the Survey
- Proof that you own the property, and what kind of property it is;
- the existing heating, and exactly what the heat pump will replace;
- whether the property falls into an excluded category;
- any earlier public funding for a heat pump at the address;
- heat loss, so the system is sized to the scheme’s standards;
- planning, listing or leasehold consents that need sorting before work starts.
Common Myths
“The grant pays for everything”
It’s a fixed contribution. On a one-room air-to-air job it can cover a big share; on a whole-house air-to-water system it covers a good part, but not all.
“I have to fill in forms”
The installer applies. You simply confirm the application when Ofgem contacts you.
Landlords
Private landlords can apply in the same way as owner-occupiers, which makes the scheme useful for improving rental properties’ energy ratings. You’ll need to agree access with tenants for the survey and the installation.
Business Premises
Small non-domestic buildings can also apply, subject to the scheme’s capacity limits. Shops, offices and studios currently heated by gas or electric heaters may be able to use the grant towards a heat pump. We check the property type and size on the survey.
Timescales
Ofgem gives the installer a fixed window to complete the work once a voucher is issued, so we only apply when you’re ready to go ahead and we have an installation slot available. Most applications fit comfortably within the window.
VAT and Other Costs
Heat pump installations currently qualify for 0% VAT on energy-saving materials. Our quotes already reflect this. It’s a contribution, not the whole bill. Wiring upgrades, bigger radiators, access equipment and finishing are itemised, so the post-grant figure on paper is the one you pay.
Official Sources
- GOV.UK: apply for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme — eligibility and amounts, from GOV.UK.
- Ofgem: Boiler Upgrade Scheme — how Ofgem administers the scheme.
- Energy Saving Trust: Boiler Upgrade Scheme explained — an independent explanation from the Energy Saving Trust.
Opens in a new tab. These organisations don’t endorse us.
What Bristol customers typically pay
Prices shown here are before any grant. A qualifying air-to-air install has £2,500 deducted; air-to-water £7,500 or £9,000.
- One room, air-to-air£1,500 – £3,500
- Two rooms on one outdoor unit£3,000 – £6,000
- Four or more rooms£5,000 – £12,000+
- Air-to-water heat pump (boiler swap)£8,000 – £14,000
Ranges reflect typical Bristol installs in 2026. We confirm an exact figure in writing after visiting the property. How we price a job.