UK heating grants aren’t just available, they’re funded at over £14 billion. But three things matter more than availability. Schemes have different end dates, and funding runs first-come, first-served. Because eligibility is specific, many homeowners are checking if they qualify for Government Grants for Central Heating to ensure they don’t miss out.
Apply in the next few months? You could get thousands in free upgrades. Wait until summer? You might pay full price.
What Schemes Are Actually Running Right Now?
Four major programs are active. Each works differently. Let’s cut through the confusion.
ECO4: The Main Boiler Replacement Scheme
ECO4 handles most boiler replacements and first-time heating installations. Originally ending March 31, 2026, the government proposed extending it 6-9 months in their August 2025 consultation. That means it might run until October 2026.
The funding? £1 billion annually from the government. Energy suppliers distribute grants first-come, first-served. What you get: Full heating systems. Boilers, radiators, pipework, smart controls. No repayment. Ever.
Warm Homes: Local Grant—The Big Budget Replacement
Launched April 2025, this is the government’s fuel poverty successor program. It runs until March 2028 through 271 local authorities (over 97% of eligible councils).
The budget makes ECO4 look small. £500 million at launch. Then £1.5 billion was added in November 2025. Total Warm Homes Plan budget? £14.7 billion. Unlike ECO4’s narrow focus, Warm Homes takes a whole-home approach:
| Upgrade Type | Maximum Funding | What’s Covered |
| Energy Performance | £15,000 average | Insulation, solar panels, controls |
| Low-Carbon Heating | £15,000 average | Heat pumps, air-to-air systems |
One major change: no fossil fuel boilers. Heat pumps only. If you’re on mains gas, you’ll get hybrid systems. Off-gas properties? Full heat pump funding.
Boiler Upgrade Scheme: The No-Means-Test Option
BUS runs until December 2027 and targets low-carbon heating in England and Wales. No income requirements. Just property ownership.
The grants are straightforward:
- £7,500 for air or ground source heat pumps
- £5,000 for biomass boilers (rural, off-gas only)
- £2,500 for air-to-air heat pumps (added November 2025)
You need a valid Energy Performance Certificate. You must be replacing a fossil fuel system. That’s it. Over 100,000 applications by November 2025. The scheme’s popular—and the window is finite.
Great British Insulation Scheme: The March Deadline
GBIS covers loft and wall insulation. It expires March 31, 2026. No extension proposed. Need insulation? This is your most time-sensitive option.
Who Actually Qualifies?
Think you might be eligible? Here’s the framework. It’s not as restrictive as you’d think.
Income Requirements (ECO4 & Warm Homes)
You need one of three pathways:
- Pathway 1: Postcode Qualification
Live in Indices of Multiple Deprivation Income Deciles 1-2? You’re automatically in. That’s the poorest 20% of postcodes. No further income checks required. GOV.UK publishes the list.
- Pathway 2: Benefit Receipt
Receiving Housing Benefit, Income Support, Universal Credit, Pension Credit, or income-related ESA? You qualify.
- Pathway 3: Income Threshold
Gross household income below £36,000. Or after-housing-costs income below your household size threshold (detailed tables on GOV.UK).
Property Requirements
Your Energy Performance Certificate rating matters. E, F, or G? Eligible. A, B, or C? You’re too efficient already. While rating D falls in between, it’s worth taking the chances for. You must own the property, or be a private tenant with landlord permission. For ECO4 boiler grants specifically, your existing boiler must be non-condensing and installed before April 2005.
BUS Requirements Are Simpler
Own the property? Replacing a fossil fuel heating system? Apply. No income requirements. No postcode restrictions. But new-builds, social housing, and properties already receiving heat pump funding are excluded.
What Actually Gets Funded?
This isn’t just a boiler swap. Most schemes bundle upgrades.
The Whole-House Approach
ECO4 often packages heating with insulation. New boiler plus cavity wall insulation plus loft insulation? Common. The goal is improving your EPC rating by two bands minimum.
Many households receive packages worth over £10,000. Why? Because improving heating alone is inefficient. Better insulation means lower heating costs.
Warm Homes separates funding into two buckets, £15,000 average for energy performance, £15,000 average for heating. But the principle is the same: comprehensive upgrades, not piecemeal fixes.
BUS Is Heating-Only
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme covers heat pump or biomass system plus installation. Nothing else. It’s a targeted heating replacement program, not a whole-home retrofit.
When Should You Apply?
Now. Seriously. ECO4 officially ends March 31, 2026. The extension to October? Still unconfirmed. Even if approved, first-come-first-served means late applications risk missing out.
Energy suppliers managing ECO4 have significant backlogs. Application processing times extended throughout 2025. Waiting until February or March means you’re competing with everyone else who delayed.
GBIS has the tightest timeline. March 31, 2026. No extension discussed. Need insulation? Apply immediately.
Warm Homes Has Already Paused
Remember December 2025? Applications paused due to high demand. Local authorities are still processing the initial surge. That tells you something: strong uptake, potential future capacity constraints. When applications reopen in spring 2026, expect competition.
BUS Runs Longest, But Don’t Assume Availability
December 2027 seems distant. But 100,000+ applications by November 2025 shows rapid take-up. The scheme won’t suddenly close, but installer availability tightens as demand grows.
How Do You Actually Apply?
The process varies by scheme. Here’s what matters.
ECO4 Process
Contact a government-approved installer directly. They assess eligibility, survey your property, and handle the application. It’s free. Never pay upfront fees. Legitimate grants never require payment before installation.
Warm Homes Process
Visit your local authority’s website. Or call the helpline: 0800 098 7950 (Monday-Friday, 8 am-6pm). Your council arranges a free survey and coordinates all work. If applications are paused, check back in spring 2026.
BUS Process
Your installer applies through the government portal on your behalf. Critical detail: 120-day installation deadline. The system must be commissioned within 120 days of approval. Miss that? You forfeit eligibility.
One Quality Warning Worth Noting
A National Audit Office report (October 2025) identified serious quality failures in ECO and GBIS delivery. Poor workmanship. Failed external wall insulation.
Does this invalidate the schemes? No. Does it mean you should verify your installer? Absolutely.
Select Trustmark-registered, MCS-certified installers only. Request references. Verify accreditations independently. Report poor work to your local authority immediately.
The Bottom Line
ECO4 funding approaches exhaustion and GBIS expires March 2026. Warm Homes is experiencing processing delays from demand. For households meeting income and property requirements, these grants cover entire heating system upgrades, often worth £10,000+.
The window is narrowing. Specifically for those looking into First Time Central Heating Grants Wales, first-come-first-served allocation means delays cost you. If you’re eligible, applying in the next few months isn’t just recommended, it’s the difference between free upgrades and paying out of pocket.
