Low-performance, inefficient boilers increase energy bills and contribute to climate change and global warming. But replacing a boiler is expensive, in most cases costing anything from £600 to £2,500 for a standard domestic boiler, and this cost can prevent many households from being able to afford to upgrade their current costly-to-run boiler.
This is why government free boiler grants (funded by the main energy energy suppliers) are available to help householders install a modern, energy-efficient boiler that will help them save money on heating bills as well as have a positive environmental impact .
You may at first think that you can only qualify for a free boiler if you’re receiving a state benefit, but this isn’t necessarily the case – it may still be possible to get a boiler grant without benefits, especially for low income households and those who live in low energy efficiency homes.
The obvious grant scheme to check out boiler funding is the Affordable Warmth Obligation, which is part of the Energy Company Obligation Scheme (ECO), whereby some of the main energy suppliers are obligated to make a financial contribution to help households improve their energy efficiency and reduce their heating bills. When you look at the eligibility criteria, you’ll at first discover that the scheme is open only to households receiving certain qualifying benefits such as Universal Credit, Income Support, Housing Benefit, or Tax Credits.
However, it may be possible to get a replacement boiler grant even if you’re not receiving any government benefit payments. A good option for potential funding is Local Authority Flexible (LA Flex) Eligibility, which provides local councils with greater freedom to decide who they help with free boiler grants and other energy saving improvements to reduce fuel poverty in their area.
Boiler Grants Without Benefits Under LA Flex Eligibility
If you’re not receiving any government benefits, you could still get a boiler installed for free under the LA Flex initiative. As an extension of the UK government’s ECO Scheme, LA Flex enables local councils to help low income households that need a new boiler but fall short of the eligibility criteria of the ECO programme.
LA Flex boiler replacement grants are available to homeowners with an old inefficient boiler not getting a means-tested benefit who’re on a low income, or considered to be living in fuel poverty and vulnerable to living in a cold home.
LA Flex Grant Eligibility Criteria
Eligibility requirements for LA Flex funding are as follows:
- You must be a homeowner residing in the property.
- Your home has an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of G, F or E.
- Or your property has no EPC.
- Household income must be below £31,000 a year.
- Or you have a serious medical condition aggravated by living in a cold home.
- Your old boiler must be a non-condensing model.
Income Eligibility
LA Flex income eligibility takes into account the gross income of all adults in the household. You’ll need to produce evidence of low income as part of the application process – tax returns and bank statements and/or payslips.
Health Conditions
If your mobility is limited or you have a cardiovascular or respiratory problem or weakened immune system, the NHS can refer you to Local Authority Flexible Eligibility to see if you can get grant funding.
Boilers Grants for Pensioners
An increasing number of pensioners are struggling with escalating energy bills, especially those on fixed incomes and with inefficient boilers. The possibility of replacing their current boiler with a new efficient A rated boiler is financially out of reach for many without free boiler grant assistance.
The Energy Company Obligation Scheme offers a solution to homeowners and private tenants receiving the state pension plus pension credit. An ECO boiler grant, funded by the energy companies, could cover the entire cost of replacement boilers or at least result in a highly subsidised boiler replacement.
Boiler Grants for Landlords
Landlords are responsible for ensuring their tenants have a comfortable place to live, and that includes central heating systems, but does the free boiler grant scheme have any relevance to landlords and their tenants?
Free boiler grants are available for privately rented accommodation if the tenants receive a government benefit such as Universal Credit or Income support or get Housing Benefit from the local council. The private tenant needs to apply for the grant themselves, with the landlord’s permission.
Further financial support is available from the Landlord’s Energy Saving Allowance (LESA) for additional energy efficiency improvements.
Disabled Facilities Grants for Heating Systems
If you or someone else living in your home is disabled, you could qualify for funding from the Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) initiative to install a new heating system including a boiler and all heating controls.
Although DFG is primarily designed to improve accessibility in homes, it also covers financial help to install or improve heating systems. This funding is available to homeowners and private tenants whether or not they’re in receipt of income-related benefits. If you don’t receive an income-based benefit, you’ll need to provide evidence of income, savings, capital, and outgoings.
Benefits of a New Boiler Installation
Whether you meet the benefits criteria for a boiler grant or qualify for financial help in another way, installing a new gas boiler has important advantages.
Your boiler takes up most of your home’s energy use, and the least efficient boilers have higher running costs that result in increased energy bills. Maintenance and repairs further add to the overall expense of running a boiler.
Replacing your old boiler with a new, more efficient boiler model offers long-term financial and environmental benefits. With high efficiency, smart controls, and a variety of other features, modern boilers significantly impact on bills and carbon emissions.
Lower Energy Bills
Old, non-condensing boilers can have reduced performance so that they operate at efficiency levels sometimes as low as 60%. This means that around 40% of the fuel they use is effectively wasted.
Today’s A-rated condensing combi boilers are usually more than 90% energy efficient. With grant funding and a new energy efficient boiler, a household could potentially save more than £300 a year on heating bills, though the level of savings will in part depend on the rating of the current boiler that is being replaced.
Reduced Carbon Footprint
Non-condensing boilers have been banned from being installed since 2005 (unless you’ve been granted a special exemption) because they release a high volume of carbon emissions.
Condensing combi boilers are ultra-efficient, converting the water vapour they produce into heat. This cuts the household carbon footprint as well as lowering energy bills.
Can I Make It Easier to Get a Free Boiler Grant?
While you may still be able to get a boiler grant when not receiving UK government financial support, it may be worth considering exploring the possibilities of claiming some form of income-related benefit, if you are entitled – many people simply don’t bother applying for the government benefits they’re actually entitled to.
If it turns out you’re eligible for government benefits — from child benefit to working tax credit, income related employment support allowance, and more — this will increase the likelihood of qualifying for a free or substantially discounted replacement boiler, and potentially other energy saving measures such as insulation. The ECO Scheme remains the best way for eligible homeowners and others to get a boiler with no upfront cost and a funding grant that will allow you to replace your boiler with a new energy efficient one.
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme, which is another means of accessing financial assistance for home heating upgrades, is somewhat different to ECO in that it focuses on encouraging households to switch from their existing boiler to energy efficient alternatives such as a heat pump or biomass boiler. Installing a heat pump as an alternative heating system isn’t always a viable option for all homes, plus the costs of such systems usually requires households to make a significant contribution towards the installation costs, as a Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant won’t typically cover the full cost.
ECO4 Free Boiler Grants
ECO4 boiler replacement grants are part of the government drive to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050 and are funded by major energy companies including E.On, British Gas, Octopus, and Scottish Power under the Energy Companies Obligations Scheme.
Eligible households, including homeowners, and in some limited circumstances those in social housing, can apply to see if they qualify for a free replacement boiler grant. To be eligible for a free boiler grant under the ECO scheme, you usually have to be in receipt of an income-related benefit or be a low income household, and meet certain eligibility criteria.
It’s easy to check your eligibility for an ECO grant after which we will be able to help you access funding from the UK government schemes, receive a free survey, and get your new boiler installation completed by one of our approved installers.