Boiler Grants 2026: What You Can Actually Get, and What You Can't

Search for boiler grants and you'll find plenty of adverts for "free boilers". The reality is simpler: there's no general government grant for replacing a gas boiler with a new one. The main schemes either help you switch to a heat pump, or are aimed at households on a low income.

This guide explains what each scheme covers in 2026, who can get it, and what your options are if you don't qualify. Grant schemes change, so check the official pages linked below before you apply. We last checked these details on 18 October 2026.

Despite its name, the Boiler Upgrade Scheme doesn't pay for gas boilers. It helps homeowners in England and Wales replace fossil fuel heating, such as a gas, oil or LPG boiler, with a low-carbon system. According to GOV.UK, the grants are:

The installer usually applies for the grant on your behalf and takes it off your bill. Heat pumps can work well, but they cost more to install than a gas boiler even after the grant, and work best in well-insulated homes, so get proper advice first. You can check your eligibility on GOV.UK.

The Energy Company Obligation (ECO4) requires the larger energy suppliers to fund energy efficiency improvements for households in fuel poverty. Ofgem says ECO4 now runs until 31 December 2026, after a nine-month extension.

Eligibility usually depends on receiving certain means-tested benefits, or on your council's own criteria for low-income households. In practice, a gas boiler on its own is rarely funded: help usually comes as a package with insulation and other improvements, and is targeted at the least efficient homes. With the scheme ending in December, funding is limited.

To check, contact your energy supplier or council, or see Ofgem's ECO page.

Run by local councils in England, the Warm Homes: Local Grant pays for upgrades such as insulation, solar panels and heat pumps for low-income households. It's for privately owned homes with an EPC rating of D to G, where the household income is around £36,000 or less, someone receives a means-tested benefit, or the home is in an eligible postcode. It focuses on insulation and low-carbon heating rather than new gas boilers.

Not every council takes part, and the details vary, so check your council's website.

Scotland and Wales have their own schemes. In Scotland, contact Home Energy Scotland. In Wales, see the Welsh Government's Warm Homes Programme.

Most households won't qualify for help with a gas boiler, but there are still ways to keep the cost down:

• Choose a good-value boiler. With BoxHeat, a new combi boiler starts from £1,799 fully fitted. Our best combi boilers guide compares options at different prices.
• Spread the cost. Our boiler finance lets you pay monthly, subject to status.
• Don't oversize. A boiler that's bigger than you need costs more to buy. See what size boiler you need.