Boiler Upgrade Scheme 2026 Changes: What Heating and Plumbing Companies Need to Know
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme has had its biggest shake-up since launch. From 28 April 2026, the rules around eligibility, paperwork, technology and certification have all moved — and the scheme has been pushed out to 2030 to give the industry a credible runway. Most of the coverage so far has been aimed at homeowners. This is for the businesses doing the work.
Click here for our full guide on winning more work through the Boiler Upgrade Scheme.
Key takeaways
Here’s a rundown of what’s changed:
- EPC requirement removed. Properties no longer need a valid EPC to qualify. Where there isn’t one, you’ll provide alternative evidence — typically a recent utility bill plus photos of the existing heating system.
- Air-to-air heat pumps are now eligible. £2,500 per domestic install, sitting alongside the existing £7,500 for air-to-water and ground-source.
- Scheme extended to 2030. Real planning runway for hiring, training and accreditation investment.
- MCS certification is formally required. The installer definition is tied directly to MCS, with a Consumer Code or MCS Customer Commitment requirement on top.
- Coming in July 2026: £9,000 grant for oil and LPG homes. A £1,500 uplift on the existing £7,500 figure for properties off the gas grid.
- Budget increased. The Secretary of State approved an increase to the BUS budget on 1 April 2026, reinforcing the longer-term commitment.
The EPC requirement has gone — but you need new evidence
WHAT’S CHANGED
A valid Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) is no longer a precondition for an “eligible property” under the BUS regulations. If a property doesn’t have one, the installer is responsible for supplying alternative evidence that the property qualifies — typically a recent utility bill (showing the existing fuel type) plus photographs of the current heating system.
WHY IT MATTERS
This was the single biggest reason quotes fell over. A customer wanted a heat pump, the EPC had recommendations that hadn’t been actioned, and the application was stuck until those got resolved.
WHAT TO DO
When you’re on site for the survey, take a clear photo of the boiler and any oil/LPG tank, capture a copy of a recent utility bill (with the customer’s permission), and attach both to the job record. If you’re using GES, you can upload the photos directly to the job.
Above: Job photos can be added to a job in GES from the web portal or mobile device.
The scheme is now extended to 2030
WHAT’S CHANGED
The BUS sunset has moved from its previous timeline out to 2030. The Secretary of State also approved a budget increase on 1 April 2026.
WHY IT MATTERS
Until now, every business decision around moving into renewables had to be made against an uncertain end date.
A 2030 horizon plus a budget increase is a credible signal. Combined with the Future Homes Standard coming for new builds, the direction of travel is now clear enough to plan around.
WHAT TO DO
If you’ve been holding off on accreditation or training, this should give you extra certainty. GES customers are eligible for discounted training and courses from Logic4Training.
MCS certification is now formally part of the BUS rules
WHAT’S CHANGED
The installer definition in the BUS regulations is now tied directly to MCS certification. To install under the scheme, you need to be MCS-certified for the relevant technology — heat pumps and/or biomass. The regulations also now require Consumer Code membership or, equivalently, the MCS Customer Commitment.
WHY IT MATTERS
It removes any ambiguity about who is and isn’t eligible to claim BUS grants on a customer’s behalf.
WHAT TO DO
If you’re considering it, our step-by-step guide to becoming MCS-certified walks through the process, costs, and typical timelines. Under MCS, every install needs to be properly recorded, the certificates need to be retrievable, and your processes need to stand up to MCS audit. This is one area where a job management system that automatically attaches records and certificates to each job pays back its cost.
Coming in July 2026: £9,000 for oil and LPG homes
WHAT’S CHANGED
A £1,500 uplift to the existing £7,500 grant for properties heated by oil or LPG, taking the total to £9,000. Expected to come into force in July 2026.
WHY IT MATTERS
Off-gas-grid homes have been the hardest sell on heat pumps because they often need the most expensive retrofits — older properties, longer pipe runs, frequently in rural areas where labour costs more. A £9,000 grant changes the conversation for that customer.
WHAT TO DO
Identify the oil and LPG customers in your existing book — these are the people you should be talking to about heat pump options later in 2026.
Air-to-air heat pumps are in — at £2,500
WHAT’S CHANGED
Domestic air-to-air heat pump installations are now eligible for a £2,500 BUS grant. Air-to-water and ground-source remain at £7,500. Biomass remains at £5,000.
WHY IT MATTERS
It opens the BUS audience up to a different kind of project. Air-to-air is faster and lower-cost to install than a wet-system retrofit
WHAT TO DO
If you’re not F-Gas certified and not MCS-certified for air-to-air, this isn’t a tomorrow opportunity for your business — but could be a long-term strategy. For traditional gas engineers, it may make more sense to consider hybrid heating systems as a stepping stone before deciding whether a full move into air-to-air is worth it.
What this means for your business
The wider direction of travel — the phased move away from new gas boiler installations, the Future Homes Standard, the BUS extension to 2030 — points to one thing. Heating and plumbing businesses that get their accreditations and admin in shape now will have considerably more room to operate over the next four years than those that don’t.