The government schemes designed to pay for new boilers have been cut back extensively in recent years, and instead the government has been rolling out its Green Deal programme, which is designed to offer low cost loans for home improvements. There are however lots of different schemes around which still offer incentives and grants for replacing a boiler, but when you start looking around the choice can be bewildering. There often isn’t much differentiation between a grant, a loan and an incentive, so it’s important to consider what you’re being offered for free against the total cost of your new boiler – it could work out cheaper in the long run to refuse the incentive or grant and to pay for the cost from savings or with a loan. In other circumstances though the grants and incentives can be hugely beneficial.
Boiler grants from the energy companies
The problem with all sorts of boiler grants, whichever company is providing them, is that they are prone to being withdrawn at a moment’s notice. There is no guarantee that the grants which are available now will be around in six months or a year’s time. If you see a great deal, it therefore makes a lot of sense to take it up right away rather than spending weeks thinking about it. As part of the government’s measures to improve energy efficiency, the large energy companies are forced to help customers on low incomes improve their properties through the Energy Company Obligation. In order to qualify for the grant the household must be in a low income, and have a survey done to establish what sort of work would be most appropriate, and how much it is likely to cost. People in receipt of certain benefits, or those with a disability or living with a child with a disability may also qualify. Working out whether you meet the criteria or not can be complicated, so phone up the company who provides your gas or electricity and ask. If their scheme is currently closed, keep watching their website for news about them accepting new applications as the schemes often open again at the start of each new financial year.
Boiler grants for tenants
If you are in a rented property, you are often not eligible to apply for a grant towards a new boiler from the energy companies, whatever your income level. However, most Councils and Housing Associations run schemes which replace inefficient boilers in their properties, which will save you a lot of money on your heating bills. This is usually done on a rolling programme with the oldest boilers being replaced first, but if you are having ongoing problems with an unreliable boiler or are facing unaffordable heating bills, call the local Housing Officer and ask what they can do. It might just push you up the list a little bit. The Energy Company Obligation also applies to people who are renting their properties privately, so if you qualify under their income requirements and can access the funding, you can have your boiler replaced completely free of charge. Do the research into what funding and grants is available, and then present the solution to your landlord. If they are having a brand new boiler installed in their property at no cost to them, they are hardly likely to refuse.
Local grants for replacement boilers
If you live in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, there are different schemes and grants available for replacing boilers. Scotland and Wales have similar schemes to England which allow people to spread the cost of a new boiler rather than giving grants to replace them, but in Northern Ireland there is a scheme to give people on low incomes and who have a very old boiler a grant to replace it. These grants are given on a sliding scale on incomes up to £40,000. Some councils, such as Islington Council in London also offer local schemes to replace boilers which are F or G rated for energy efficiency with new A-rated boilers. Criteria for these grants varies from Council to Council, but are usually based on income, cost of replacing the boiler and whether anyone in the household has additional needs. Look on the Housing section of your local Council’s website to see what grants are operating in your area and see what conditions apply.
Charity grants for replacement boilers
In addition to their legal obligations under the Energy Company Obligation (ECO), some of the energy charities also operate a discretionary fund to help customers who are in dire financial straits. British Gas, for example, have a charity fund called the Energy Trust, which can make payments towards a new boiler, as well as for things like the purchase of new white goods. In order to apply for the fund, you must not meet the requirements for the ECO funding, and have supporting letters from professionals such as doctors, health visitors or social workers to back up your application. Each application is considered individually, and it is wise to get help from the Citizens Advice Bureau or a similar organisation to put forward as strong an argument as possible. nPower has a similar scheme called Health Through Warmth which operates in the same way, but is targeted to those with long term medical conditions. It’s important to note that you don’t have to be a customer of either nPower or British Gas to apply to their schemes. Take some time to research what other charities or campaigning organisations may be offering grants in your local area.
Grants for renewable energy
The government is encouraging the switch to renewable energy wherever possible, and although it is hard to get a grant for a new gas fired combi boiler, the same cannot be said for biomass or solid fuel stoves which heat your home and provide hot water. Instead of paying you up front to install the boiler, you receive a payment for every kilowatt of energy you produce. Every house is different, so book a free of charge Green Deal energy assessment which will work out what your payments would be, and will help you decide whether this is cost effective or not.
