Compare funding categories before comparing the largest amount printed beside a scheme name. This guide is for homeowners separating heat pump grants from repayable support across national routes. It shows the supplied values and the conditions that need follow-up. A maximum award or borrowing limit does not establish your entitlement, installation price or remaining household contribution.
For the broader overview, read our guide: Heat Pump Grant.
Independent guide. We are not a lender or a government body. Always check current scheme rules with the official provider.
1. Read grant values against the proposed technology
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme values depend on the heat pump category and applicable replacement circumstances. Air-to-water and ground source grants are £7,500, rising to £9,000 for off-gas homes replacing oil or LPG. Air-to-air support is £2,500. These values apply in England and Wales under the published notice. Ask your MCS installer to identify the relevant category before relying on a deduction in the proposal.
Warm Homes: Local Grant has a separate category for low-carbon heating in England. Its limit is not a standard heat pump installation price or an automatic cash payment. Home Energy Scotland combines grant support with an optional repayable element under its own conditions. The remote rural uplift needs confirmation through that scheme. Compare what each route supports, where it applies and what evidence determines access.
2. Compare like-for-like support
The table keeps grants and loans in separate categories so repayment obligations remain visible. Read each maximum alongside its nation and key condition rather than in isolation. Your approved support can differ from a category ceiling or advertised borrowing limit. Ask the scheme how it assesses your proposed work and which combinations are permitted. Keep those written answers before treating several routes as a single funding package.
Warm Homes Loan borrowing ceilings vary across air-to-water, air-to-air and ground source installations. These are loan limits, not additional grant awards. The published scheme allows combination with Boiler Upgrade Scheme support, but eligibility and application details remain unconfirmed. Lender rates are also unpublished at the stated review date. Do not assume a quotation can already rely on a confirmed loan product or repayment schedule.
| Scheme | Nation | Type | Heat pump limit | Key condition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boiler Upgrade Scheme | England and Wales | Grant | Air-to-water/ground source £7,500; £9,000 for off-gas oil/LPG replacement; air-to-air £2,500 | MCS installer applies; confirm full rules. |
| Warm Homes: Local Grant | England | Grant | Up to £15,000 extra for low-carbon heating | EPC D–G; income ≤£36,000 or qualifying benefits; council delivery. |
| Home Energy Scotland | Scotland | Grant plus loan | Up to £7,500 grant plus up to £7,500 interest-free loan; £1,500 remote rural uplift | MCS required; first-come; written offer before work. |
| Warm Homes Loan | Confirm scheme coverage | Loan | Air-to-water £20,000; air-to-air £10,000; ground source £35,000 | Eligibility, application and lender rates unconfirmed. |
3. Establish the amount your household must fund
Request the full installation total before subtracting any proposed grant from the quote. Identify separately quoted preparatory work so the comparison includes the whole project. Ask which part of the grant decision remains outstanding and when you can rely on it. A smaller remaining contribution still needs an appropriate payment plan. Compare savings and borrowing only after the installation scope and approval position are clear.
For Scottish funding, keep the written offer conditions and validity deadline beside the installation schedule. Work must not begin before the offer, which is valid for up to nine months. Funding is first-come, so do not treat a general description as a reservation. Welsh readers can also ask Nest about its available support without assuming a stated heat pump amount. Northern Ireland readers need official advice specific to their location.
Checklist
- I have separated grant amounts from loan limits.
- I have checked nation, technology and replacement conditions.
- I understand any household test or written-offer requirement.
- I have confirmed combinations rather than adding every maximum.
- I know my complete project total and remaining contribution.
Frequently asked questions
Why does my BUS grant differ by heat pump type?
The approved notice lists separate categories and values. Ask the MCS installer which category and replacement conditions apply to your proposed system.
Is my Warm Homes Loan limit another grant?
No. It is a maximum borrowing amount with repayment commitments. Eligibility, application arrangements and lender rates remain unconfirmed.
Can I add every funding limit together?
No. Schemes have their own conditions and combination rules. Obtain confirmation before treating separate routes as one package.
How do I compare my Scottish grant and loan?
Record the grant separately from the interest-free loan. Check your written offer, remote rural eligibility and the remaining installation contribution.
So you can compare funding on its actual conditions rather than the largest headline amount.
WHLS Editorial Team
Our editorial team writes independent, plain-English guides on home energy finance. We review guides when scheme rules change.
References
- Energy Saving Trust – Air source heat pumps (opens in a new tab)
- GOV.UK – Apply for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (opens in a new tab)
- GOV.UK – Notice of approved grant categories and values for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (opens in a new tab)
- Energy Saving Trust – Boiler Upgrade Scheme (opens in a new tab)
- MoneySavingExpert – Warm Homes Loan Scheme news (October 2026) (opens in a new tab)
- Financial Conduct Authority – Financial Services Register (opens in a new tab)
- MCS – Find an installer (opens in a new tab)
- Energy Saving Trust – Warm Homes: Local Grant guide (opens in a new tab)
- Home Energy Scotland – Grants and loans (opens in a new tab)
- MCS – Home Energy Scotland Grant and Loan (opens in a new tab)
- Energy Saving Trust – Welsh Government Nest scheme (opens in a new tab)
- Energy Saving Trust – Consumer protection (opens in a new tab)
- HIES – Home Insulation and Energy Systems (opens in a new tab)
- Planning Portal – Heat pumps (opens in a new tab)
