ECO Scheme Heating and Insulation Grants

Boiler Grant Qualifying Criteria

You may qualify for a Government Grant to help replace your broken central heating boiler if you receive State Benefits, Tax Credits or Other Allowances

We have helped over 35,000 householders with their AFFORDABLE WARMTH SCHEME GRANT Application

Boiler Grant Qualifying Criteria

Worcester Greenstar Compact Combi available from the Affordable Warmth Scheme if you satisfy Boiler Grant Qualifying Criteria

You may qualify for a Boiler Grant if you satisfy ALL 3 of the following criteria:

1.

2.

You must receive one of the following State Benefits, Tax Credits or Other Allowances, or you qualify under ECO4 ECO Flex rules:

  • Pension Credit – Guarantee Credit
  • Pension Credit – Savings Credit

(Over one million pensioners are entitled to Pension Credit but don’t claim it. To check whether you are eligible click HERE go to the Government website.)

  • Universal Credit
  • Child Tax Credit
  • Working Tax Credit
  • Income-Related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
  • Income-Based Job Seeker’s Allowance (JSA)
  • Income Support
  • Child Benefit (subject to maximum household income thresholds)
  • Housing Benefit

ECO Flex Rules allow local councils to recommend that a householder qualifies for the gas central heating grants for pensioners scheme without the need to receive one of the qualifying benefits above.

* Maximum household income thresholds (based on the number of adults and children who live in your home) applies if you only receive Child Benefit. These can be found in the table below.

3.

Relevant Household Income Thresholds for Child Benefit under ECO4

Boiler Grant Qualifying Criteria: Definition of a Qualifying Boiler

For the the purposes of the Affordable Warmth Scheme Boiler Grant Qualifying Criteria, your central heating boiler must:

Be installed in your home at the time of your Boiler Grant Application

AND

Be broken.

Boiler Grants: What's included and what's excluded?

If you satisfy the Affordable Warmth Scheme’s Boiler Grant Qualifying Criteria, your boiler grant will provide funding for the following:

  • The initial survey
  • The new A rated central heating boiler
  • The installation of the new central heating boiler
  • A limited amount of new pipe work and ancillary materials

Affordable Warmth Scheme funding does not include:

  • New radiators
  • New thermostatic valves
  • A new thermostat
  • Additional pipe work over and above the limited amount included
  • Converting a single pipe heating system to a double pipe system
  • Re-decorating

PLEASE NOTE: The amount of your grant is based a system referred to as ‘Deemed Scores’ where the boiler grant is based on the type of property you live in, how many bedrooms it has and several other factors. In some cases the grant will not cover the total cost of installing a new boiler and you may be asked to make a contribution.

What is the Affordable Warmth Scheme?

The Affordable Warmth Scheme is part of the Government’s ECO (Energy Company Obligation) initiative. It provides grants to low income households so that they can improve the energy efficiency of their homes.

This is achieved by awarding boiler grants and storage heater grants to householders who satisfy Boiler Grant Qualifying Criteria.  This includes having a broken central heating boiler or broken electric storage heaters, AND  receiving one of the qualifying State Benefits, Tax Credits or Other Allowances.

The Energy Companies Obligation was introduced to help reduce energy consumption for qualifying householders who are living in fuel poverty.

Affordable Warmth Scheme funding starts in the form of a levy on everyone’s electricity bill and the money collected is directed into an ECO Fund. This money is distributed in the form of ECO4 Grants to accredited installation companies once they have completed the boiler or storage heater installation.

Boiler Grant Qualifying Criteria for qualifying benefits was extended on the 1st October 2018 so that more households can take advantage of the ECO Scheme. However, private tenants no longer qualify for ECO4 grants to replace broken boilers.

Will I have to contribute to the cost of a replacement boiler in my home?

If you satisfy Boiler Grant Qualifying Criteria you may be awarded an ECO Grant to help replace your broken boiler. The amount of the grant is determined by the type of property you live in, how many bedrooms it has, the type of heating system and several other factors.

If the grant covers the full cost of replacing your boiler, you will not have to contribute but if it doesn’t you may. If you choose not to pay towards a new boiler you can withdraw your boiler grant application and it will not cost you anything.

Remember though, the Energy Saving Trust says: If you replace your old boiler with an A-rated boiler and set of heating controls  you could save about £340 per year on your heating bills.