Moving off oil heating: heat pump, electrics and building work

What the grant gives

The Boiler Upgrade Scheme is open in England and Wales. It replaces fossil fuel heating, which GOV.UK says includes oil, gas, electric and LPG systems. The amounts below are from GOV.UK, checked on 15 October 2026.

National figures from GOV.UK and Ofgem, checked 15 October 2026. Ofgem says the off-gas grid total of £9,000 is available until 31 March 2027. Sources: GOV.UK: Boiler Upgrade Scheme, what you can get, Ofgem: Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS).

Who can get it

You must own the property, and you must be replacing a fossil fuel system. Second homes, rented homes and business premises can count. Most new builds, social housing and homes that already had government money for a heat pump cannot. The installer must commission the heat pump within 120 days of the application. Only an MCS certified installer can apply, on your behalf.

The order of work

Plan the whole job before anyone starts. Each step depends on the one before.

• Survey. The heat pump installer measures the heat loss of each room and sizes the heat pump. Ask what the radiators and pipes need.
• Electrics. An electrician checks the supply and the consumer unit. A heat pump is a large new load.
• Consent. On a listed building, or in a conservation area, ask the council first. See the next section.
• Building work. A builder lays the base for the outdoor unit and makes space for a hot water cylinder. Any insulation goes in now.
• Fit and commission. The installer fits the heat pump and tells the network operator about it.
• Take out the old system. Ask who drains and removes the oil tank and boiler, and who pays for it.

Planning rules in the Cotswolds

An air source heat pump is often permitted development, but there are limits. Permitted development does not apply to a heat pump in the grounds of a listed building, so you need planning permission. In a conservation area, the unit must not go on a wall or roof that fronts a highway. The installation must also meet the MCS 020a planning standard. An Article 4 direction can remove these rights, so ask the council before you buy.

Telling the network operator

MCS says the installer must tell the network operator about a new heat pump. For most homes, the installer connects it and tells the operator within 28 days. Where the new load is larger, the installer must apply before the work. In the Cotswolds, the operator is SSEN or National Grid Electricity Distribution, depending on where you live.

Old stone houses

Thick stone walls hold heat, but they also need to breathe. Insulation that traps moisture can cause damp in an old wall. Historic England publishes advice on insulating roofs in historic buildings. Read it, and ask the builder what materials suit your house.

Questions

Sources