Geography rules
England: Yes — full £7,500 grant.
Wales: Yes — same £7,500 grant under the same scheme rules.
Scotland: No — separate Home Energy Scotland Loan + Cashback scheme (£7,500 urban / £9,000 rural cashback + £7,500 interest-free loan).
Northern Ireland: No — no equivalent. NI Sustainable Energy Programme (£700–£1,500 means-tested) is the only option.
Ownership rules
Owner-occupiers: Yes.
Private landlords: Yes — landlord applies on behalf of the rental property.
Tenants: No — cannot apply directly; ask your landlord to apply.
Social-rented tenants (Housing Association or Council): No — generally ineligible.
Holiday let / second home: Yes if it's residential and meets other criteria.
Existing heating replaced
Gas boiler: Yes.
Oil boiler: Yes.
LPG boiler: Yes.
Electric storage heaters: Yes.
Solid fuel (logs, wood, coal): Yes.
Existing heat pump: No — BUS only funds replacement of fossil-fuel systems.
Hybrid systems with gas top-up: No — heat pump must provide 100% of heating and hot water.
EPC requirement details
EPC must be less than 10 years old at the time of application.
EPC must have no outstanding loft-insulation recommendations (you can fix these before applying).
EPC must have no outstanding cavity-wall insulation recommendations (cavity-fill before applying if needed).
Solid-wall insulation recommendations are NOT a barrier — you can have a solid-wall recommendation and still qualify.
EPC band itself doesn't matter — D, E or F homes can qualify so long as the insulation recommendations are addressed.
FAQ
Can I apply for the BUS grant myself?
No. The grant is paid by Ofgem to your MCS-certified installer at install time. The installer applies for the voucher on your behalf. Your role is signing the homeowner consent declaration.
Is there an income test for BUS?
No. BUS is not means-tested. Any homeowner meeting the technical eligibility criteria qualifies regardless of income.
Does the grant come off my final bill?
Yes. The £7,500 is deducted from the installer's quote at the start. You only pay the post-grant amount. There is no upfront payment from you, and no claim-back paperwork.
How long does the application take?
Typically 2 weeks from a complete submission to voucher issue. Combined with installer survey + commissioning, the total enquiry-to-completion timeline is 5–9 weeks.
Are biomass boilers covered?
Yes — biomass boilers in qualifying off-gas-grid properties receive £5,000 (less than the £7,500 for heat pumps).
Sources
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