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Guidance

What is Gov ECO4 Scheme: A Complete Guide

With an increased focus on the environment as the world transits towards green, governments are ensuring that they back households to make a change. An example of which is the ECO4 scheme.

Guidance

Government Heat Pump Grants UK – Get Help in 2025

Getting a Free Boiler on Universal Credit Was Never Easy Before Reading This Guide
UK homeowner applying for a government-funded heat pump grant to upgrade to a more energy-efficient heating system

In the UK, the government provides different heat pump grants to promote energy efficiency and environmental friendliness. This blog post has a detailed discussion about the following things: 

Energy Company Obligation (ECO4)

The ECO4 is a UK government scheme. This scheme provides energy-efficient heating systems to low-income households. The UK government started the ECO by obliging several energy companies in 2013. Now its fourth phase is going on. The energy companies started this scheme with the following objectives: 

  • Help the vulnerable homes
  • Reduce the fuel efficiency 
  • Decrease the carbon emissions
  • Replace the energy-inefficient systems with efficient ones

Check Eligibility For Eco4 Grant!

If you or any of your household is on benefits, you may be eligible for Free ECO4 Grants.

What are the Benefits of the ECO4 Scheme?

Under the ECO4 scheme, energy companies provide several benefits, such as the following: 

  • First-time central heating systems 
  • Boiler replacements 
  • Heat Pumps 
  • Insulations

What is the Eligibility Criteria for the ECO4?

The eligibility criteria for the ECO4 scheme include the following factors:

  1. Households must be receiving government benefits, including:
    • Income-based Jobseeker Allowance (JSA)
    • Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
    • Pension Credit
    • Universal Credit
    • Working Tax Credit
    • Child Tax Credit
    • Housing Benefit
  2. Properties must be energy-inefficient with an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of D, E, F, or G.
  3. Some households may be considered eligible by local authorities, such as:
    • Vulnerable individuals including the disabled, elderly, or those with chronic illnesses.
    • Low-income households with an annual income below £31,000.

How to Get the Free Heat Pumps from the ECO4?

Heat Pumps are the most effective source of heat. They consume very small amount of electricity to raise the home’s temperature. These heat pumps use the heat energy of air and ground. If you also want to get free of cost heat pumps in your home, consider the following steps:

  1. Ensure your eligibility for the ECO4 grants. You can check eligibility using an online eligibility checker or ask the ECO4 scheme’s customer service team. Some people prefer to read the eligibility factors before applying.
  2. Prepare all the necessary documents for the application, such as:
    • Proof of property ownership
    • Proof of high energy bills
    • Proof of low income
    • Proof of government benefits
  3. Along with documentation, you need to apply for the scheme through the ECO4 online application portal.
  4. They will assess the documents and survey the property. If approved, the installer team will contact you to discuss the timeline for the installation process.

Boiler Upgrade Scheme

The Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) is an energy-efficient scheme of the UK government. It promotes low-carbon and efficient heating systems. The period of this scheme is 2022-2027. The Boiler scheme is working on the following objectives:

  • Reduce carbon emissions to almost zero.
  • Decrease the energy bills.
  • Replace the fossil fuel boilers.
  • Increase the heat pump installations.

Advantages of Boiler Upgrade Scheme 

  • The eligible property owners for the Air Source Heat Pumps can get the financial benefit of £7,500.
  • For the Ground Source Heat Pumps and provide £7,500 for them.
  • In rural or off-grid areas, the BUS also provides Biomass boilers. They will provide a £5,000 grant.

Eligibility Factors for Boiler Upgrade Scheme

  1. You must be the owner of a property in England and Wales.
  2. The fuel of the existing heating system must be any of the following:
    • Coal
    • Oil
    • Natural gas
    • Electricity
    • Liquified petroleum gas (LPG)
  3. The EPC rating of the property must be lower than D. It should be valid and have an issuance date within the last 10 years.
  4. Self-build properties are eligible only if they are not owned by business organizations. However, newly built properties are not eligible for the BUS grants.

How to Get the Heat Pump from Boiler Upgrade Scheme?

The right steps to get the grants from the BUS are the following:

  • Use an online eligibility checker of the respective scheme. Moreover, you can ask the team of boiler upgrade scheme to know your eligibility.
  • The next step is to consult a certified installer to assess the property. They will check the conditions of home, insulation, heating requirements, and compatibility of heating system.
  • The installer will guide you to fill out the application form. Moreover, they will also help in document submission.
  • The installer will start the installation process if they approve the application.
 

After the installation process, they should hand over all the details and warranty documents of the respective heat pump.

Home Upgrade Grant (HUG)

The Home Upgrade Grant (HUG) is another scheme to increase the energy efficiency of homes. In this scheme, the UK government provide several home improvements. The main objectives of Home Upgrade Grants are the following:

  • Increase the energy efficiency of homes.
  • Decrease carbon emissions by promoting low-carbon systems.
  • Increase the property value through different homes.

What are the Services of a Home Upgrade Grant (HUG)? 

The Home Upgrade Grants offer the following services:

  • Wall insulation, loft insulation, and underfloor insulation
  • First Time Central Heating 
  • Boiler Upgrades
  • Double and triple window glazing and door draught proofing 
  • Air Source Heat Pumps and Ground Source Heat Pumps

Eligibility Factors of Home Upgrade Grant (HUG)  

  1. First of all, the households need to have ownership of a property or have a residency.
  2. The boiler of the existing heating system should not gas main connection.
  3. The Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of the home should be D, E, F, or G.
  4. The household should have an annual income lower than £36,000.
  5. If the houses recommended by local authorities will also become eligible for Home Upgrade Grants.

How to Get the Heat Pumps through Home Upgrade Grants? 

Following the steps given below to get free heat pumps from HUG:

  1. You need to check the eligibility by using an online eligibility checker, asking the installers, or reading the eligibility criteria from the official website of Home Upgrade Grants.
  2. As the local authorities handle Home Upgrade Grants, you need to contact them. They will survey the home and guide you regarding the application process.
  3. Now, you need to submit the application form and provide all the necessary documents. These documents include the following:
    • Proof of identity
    • Proof of ownership
    • Proof of income
    • Energy Performance Certificate
    • Details about the existing heating system
  4. After documentation, the home assessment team will reach your home, assess the home conditions, and analyze the heating requirements.
  5. If the application gets approved, the installation team will contact you and share details about the installation process.
 

They will install the heat pumps and hand over all the details about the heating system.

Conclusion

These are the most famous heat pump grants in the UK. There are several other grants, such as the Nest scheme, Warmer Homes Scotland, and 0% VAT. You need to assess all the grants, their benefits, eligibility criteria, and the total time they will take. In this way, it will become easy to find the one which is best for your home. 

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