Air to Air Heat Pump Grant 2026: £2,500 Boiler Upgrade Scheme Explained

The short version

£2,500 off, taken off your installer's quote
England and Wales, homes only (not businesses)
Must replace gas, oil, LPG or electric heating, with no fossil-fuel heating left in place
Must be able to provide all of the home's space heating (top-up electric heaters are allowed)
Installer must be MCS certified for air to air heat pumps
One grant per property

When it started

The government announced the £2,500 air to air grant on 18 November 2025, describing it as giving "the best of both worlds" for homes, especially flats and small homes without central heating. Ofgem's guidance confirms air to air heat pumps became eligible from 28 April 2026, for residential properties only.

Who qualifies

Location: England or Wales. Scotland and Northern Ireland aren't covered by the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (see below).
Property: an existing home. New builds are generally excluded, apart from some self-builds.
Current heating: gas, oil, LPG or electric (including storage heaters). The heat pump has to replace it.
Not already low carbon: you can't get a grant to replace an existing heat pump or biomass boiler.
EPC: a valid Energy Performance Certificate is normally expected. Since 2026 Ofgem can accept alternative evidence if you don't have one, such as a recent fuel bill or photos of your existing heating.

The conditions that catch people out

It has to be your main heating

The scheme is for replacing a heating system, not adding a cooler or a heater to one room. Ofgem's rules say the system must have enough capacity to meet 100% of the property's space heating needs, alone or with supplementary appliances. A single unit in a bedroom while the gas boiler heats the rest of the house won't qualify.

No fossil-fuel heating left in place

You can keep or add non-fossil top-up heating, such as storage heaters, an electric immersion or a heat battery. You can't keep a gas, oil or LPG boiler as a backup. Hybrid systems aren't eligible.

Hot water is your problem to solve

Air to air heat pumps heat and cool air, not water. If you remove a gas combi boiler, you'll need another way to heat water: an electric cylinder with an immersion, a hot water heat pump, or a product with hot water built in (such as Daikin's Multi+). Your installer should cover this in the quote.

The installer needs the right MCS certification

Air to air has its own MCS standard (MCS 031 b). An installer can be MCS certified for air-to-water heat pumps but not yet for air to air. Check before you sign, because only the installer can apply for the grant.

How you get the money

Get quotes from installers who are MCS certified for air to air.
Your chosen installer applies to Ofgem for the voucher.
Ofgem contacts you to confirm you agreed to the application.
The installer fits the system and claims the £2,500 from Ofgem. You pay the quote minus £2,500.

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

Wales: covered by the Boiler Upgrade Scheme. Lower-income households can also check the Welsh Government's Warm Homes Nest scheme.
Scotland: not covered. Home Energy Scotland runs its own grant and interest-free loan scheme; ask them whether air to air heat pumps qualify for your home.
Northern Ireland: not covered by the Boiler Upgrade Scheme.

Common myths

"It's £7,500." Not for air to air. £7,500 is for air-to-water and ground source heat pumps.
"It's a grant for air conditioning." Only if the system is a heat pump that replaces your heating. Cooling-only units and extra units alongside a gas boiler don't qualify.
"You claim it back afterwards." No, the installer takes it off the price upfront.

Questions

Is there a grant for air to air heat pumps?

Yes. Since 28 April 2026 the Boiler Upgrade Scheme gives £2,500 towards an air to air heat pump in England and Wales, if it replaces gas, oil, LPG or electric heating and is fitted by an MCS certified installer.

Can I get £7,500 for an air to air heat pump?

No. £7,500 is for air source (air-to-water) and ground source heat pumps. Air to air heat pumps get £2,500.

Can I keep my gas boiler for hot water and get the grant?

No. The rules don't allow fossil-fuel heating to stay in place. You'd need another way to heat water, such as an electric cylinder or a hot water heat pump.

Can I get the grant for one room?

Not if the rest of the house is still heated by gas, oil or LPG. The system must be able to meet the whole home's space heating needs, with non-fossil top-up heaters allowed. In a small flat, one or two units may be enough to do that.

Is there an air to air heat pump grant in Scotland?

The Boiler Upgrade Scheme doesn't cover Scotland. Home Energy Scotland runs separate grants and loans, so check with them.

Sources

Checked 8 November 2026.