Boiler Upgrade Scheme

Launching Spring 2022

So, the Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive will close to new applications at midnight on the 31st of March. In its place will be the newly launched Boiler Upgrade Scheme or BUS. This will continue to allow customers to receive Government money in order to make the switch from fossil fuel to low carbon technologies such as heat pumps. 

What is the BUS?

The BUS is the latest scheme to promote low carbon heating technologies and reduce the reliance on fossil fuels. The scheme consists of an upfront grant, £5,000 for air source heat pumps and £6,000 for ground source heat pumps, to put towards the cost of switching from a traditional heating system to a low carbon heating system. 

The Boiler Upgrade Scheme will launch on the 23rd May 2022 however, installations commissioned from the 1st April 2022 will be eligible for the BUS. 

Who is eligible?

The scheme is open to homeowners and select non domestic properties in England and Wales with a capacity limit of 45kWth, meet full space heating and hot water requirements (no hybrid or bivalent systems will be eligible) and be commissioned on or after the 1st of April 2022. Applicants must have a current EPC and have no recommendations for cavity wall or loft isolation unless exempt. The scheme will also be open to custom build properties such as self builds where there is evidence. 

How does the BUS compare to the RHI?

The outgoing RHI offered quarterly payments over a 7 year period, whereas the BUS offers an upfront payment to assist with the capital costs of installing low carbon technologies. Although the RHI may work out as a greater payment over a 7 year period a huge barrier to switching to low carbon heating systems is the higher cost of the equipment and installing the equipment as often the works to install a ground or air source heat pump involve improving the quality of the existing heating system to ensure the heat pump works as efficiently as possible. So, what the BUS does is reduce that capital cost by around 50% and open up opportunities for people to switch to low carbon heating where they were previously unable to do so. The scheme will still be administered by Ofgem so the application and voucher process will be run in a similar way to how the RHI has been administered. 

What can Swift do?

So, as an MCS accredited installer for both ground and air source heat pumps we can give all of our customers access to the BUS and guarantee the quality of the installation. Where we are instructed too we would be responsible le for the grant application process and administration to ensure a smooth installation process. We also specialise in upgrading heating systems, designing and installing underfloor heating systems and radiators systems ensuring that your renewable heating system would run as efficiently as possible.