Let me guess, you are thinking of upgrading your heating system, right? Well, you can get free air source heat pumps through ECO4 and the Boiler Upgrade Scheme. These schemes improve home energy efficiency and reduce heating costs by upgrading your boiler heating system to renewable energy heating systems.
In this article, we will be exploring how you can get an air source heat pump for free through government grants (straight information only, no storytelling today). We will explain the eligibility criteria and application process for the available grants (hope you’ll get one).
What is an Air Source Heat Pump?
First of all, let’s understand how these heat pumps work. An air source heat pump is an energy efficient heating system which extracts heat from outside air to provide heating and hot-water for domestic use.
ASHP pulls the heat, compresses it through a compressor to increase the temperature, and distributes it through a heat-exchanger, ductwork, or radiators (simple right? It can go with whatever system you already have).
Generally, heat pumps use electricity for the process which can be considered a low-cost option as compared to fossil fuels.
They provide a 3-5 coefficient of performance for 1 unit of energy used. To install a heat pump, you need adequate space available for the outdoor unit in your backyard.
What Are Air Source Heat Pump Grants?
Well, before learning about the details, let’s discuss what heat pump grants are. The UK government provides heating incentives through the ECO4 Scheme and Boiler Upgrade scheme. These incentives are known as heat pump grants.
All of these schemes upgrade your inefficient gas boilers or other heating systems with energy-efficient and renewable energy heating systems.
Those renewable systems include air-source heat pumps, ground-source heat pumps, water-source heat pumps, solar panels, and other measures like insulated loft and walls to heat your home better.
Available Heat Pump Grants
Here are all the schemes that provide air source heat pump grants:
- Energy Company Obligation (ECO4)
- Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS)
- Home Upgrade Grants 2 (HUG2)
- Warmer Homes Scotland
- Local Authority Grants
Getting the air source heat pump grant is quite easy but can be tricky to get hold of one if you are not into paperwork and applying for grants. We have explained the eligibility criteria, application process, and other requirements below for major grants.
1. Energy Company Obligation (ECO4)
The ECO4 is the government initiative to reduce fuel poverty and CO2 emissions caused by home heating. This government scheme replaces your old boiler system and other heating systems with air-source heat pumps.
Eligibility Criteria
Energy Company Obligation has the easiest eligibility requirements. If you are receiving a qualifying benefit, you can automatically qualify for these grants if your property meets the requirements.
If you are not receiving the eligible benefits, you need to meet the low-income requirement which is a household income of not more than £31,000/annum.
- Applicants should be homeowners or tenants with owner’s permission.
- Prove of property ownership or certificate of tenancy.
- Income proof or benefits certificate.
Qualifying Benefits for the Grants
- Child Tax Credits (CTC)
- Working Tax Credit (WTC)
- Pension Credit Guarantee Credit
- Pension Credit Savings Credit
- Universal Credit (UC)
- Child Benefits
- Housing Benefit
- Income-based Jobseekers Allowance (JSA)
- Income-related Employment & Support Allowance (ESA)
- Income Support (IS)
Property Requirements
- The Energy Performance Certificate rating of the property should be D, E, F or G.
- Your property type should be in the approved properties list.
Application Process
The process for qualifying for air source heat pump grants is quite simple. If you are a benefit recipient, local councils will contact you themselves to see if your property meets high efficiency requirements.
If you do not receive qualifying benefits, you can apply through the following process:
- Confirm the eligibility through a certified heat pump installer like ECO Energy Packs or Officials like Ofgem.
- Apply through a gas-safe installer
- Get the required documents sorted
- prepare for the property assessment
- Once approved, your heat pump will be installed at your property.
Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS)
The boiler upgrade scheme is another government initiative to provide homeowners with energy-efficient and green energy heating systems. Air source heat pump installation through BUS grants is not as difficult as it seems.
BUS provides funds for up to £7500 to install an air source heat pump, £7500 for a ground source heat pump (geothermal heat pump), and £5000 for the cost of installing a biomass boiler.
Eligibility Criteria
BUS grants are available for households who want to replace their fossil fuel heating systems with low carbon heating systems. To qualify for these grants, your property must be of eligible type as newly built properties are not eligible unless they are self-built, meeting the criteria.
Another requirement for the qualification is your property’s EPC rating being issued in the last 10 years. Plus, the EPC must not have any outstanding insulation recommendations. Furthermore, your heating system should not exceed the 45kWh capacity limit.
Application Process
To get the heat pump system installed at your property, the application process is simple. You just need to find an MCS-accredited installer. Your selected will apply for the grant through Ofgem themselves and install your heat pump at your home.
Final Thoughts
Air source heat pump grants have been game-changing for homeowners looking for efficient heating and energy saving. These heat pumps use electric heating to meet the energy efficiency rating.
Available grants also provide other energy efficiency measures like loft and cavity wall insulation to improve the energy-efficiency of your home.
Heat pump grants are available to help eligible households in England, Wales, and Scotland. Air source heat pumps are highly efficient which reduces energy-consumption and lowers your energy bills.
Frequently Asked Questions
Well, yes! You can get an air source heat pump completely free through the ECO4 scheme if you receive qualifying benefits or have a household income below £31,000 annually. Your property just needs to have an EPC rating of D, E, F, or G (simple requirements, isn’t it?).
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme also offers up to £7,500 towards your heat pump, which might cover the entire cost depending on your installation. The application process is quite easy but can be tricky if you’re not into paperwork (hope you’ll qualify for one!).
Air source heat pumps extract heat from outside air instead of burning fossil fuels like traditional boilers. They provide a 3-5 coefficient of performance for 1 unit of energy used (impressive, right?).
These renewable energy heating systems are more environmentally friendly and can work with whatever system you already have – ductwork, radiators, you name it.
Plus, the government is literally paying people to switch from inefficient gas boilers to these energy-efficient systems, which should tell you something about which is better!
Well, before answering directly, let’s understand how these systems work. Heat pumps do use electricity, but they’re considered a low-cost option compared to fossil fuels.
For every unit of electricity, you get 3-5 units of heat energy in return (simple math, right?). These highly efficient systems reduce energy consumption and lower your energy bills significantly compared to traditional heating methods.
You’re probably picturing some loud, industrial-looking machine in your backyard, aren’t you? Don’t worry! Modern air source heat pumps are designed to operate quietly.
To install a heat pump, you need adequate space available for the outdoor unit in your backyard, but it won’t disturb your peace and quiet.
These systems have been game-changing for homeowners looking for efficient heating without the noise pollution of older systems.
The compressor does make some sound when it’s running, but it’s minimal compared to what you might be imagining (nothing that would keep you up at night!).
