Free Boiler Schemes UK: ECO4, Grants and Who Qualifies

Is there really a free boiler scheme in the UK?

There is, although it does not work the way most adverts suggest. Nobody hands you a cheque or a voucher for a new boiler. Instead, the government requires medium and large energy suppliers to pay for energy efficiency improvements in the homes of people who are on low incomes, in fuel poverty or vulnerable to the cold. That requirement is the Energy Company Obligation, and its current phase is ECO4.

Ofgem, which administers the scheme, is careful to describe it as an obligation on suppliers rather than a grant. In practice, if your household qualifies and a supplier takes your home on, the work is often done at no cost to you, although Ofgem notes that in some cases you may be asked to contribute. The catch is that the supplier and its installer decide what is fitted, based on a survey of the whole property, and a new boiler is only one of the measures they might choose.

Every scheme fact in this guide comes from gov.uk and Ofgem pages that we consulted on 22 October 2026, with nidirect and gov.wales named only as pointers. Scheme rules change between phases, so treat the official pages as the final word and use the links in the sources list to confirm anything before you act on it.

How does the ECO4 scheme work?

ECO4 requires obligated energy suppliers to fund energy efficiency work in qualifying homes, with the measures chosen through a retrofit assessment. ECO4 covers measures installed from 1 April 2022. It was originally due to end on 31 March 2026, but Ofgem's ECO page now states that it runs until 31 December 2026 after a nine-month extension. The government's response on extending ECO4, published on gov.uk in January 2026, states that there will be no successor supplier obligation after ECO4; instead, the government has committed extra grant funding for low-income households through its Warm Homes Plan. How that support will reach households after 2026 was not set out on the pages we consulted, so check gov.uk rather than relying on adverts.

The scheme is a chain of four parties:

1. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero sets the policy and the rules.
2. Ofgem administers the scheme, checks that suppliers meet their targets and publishes the list of obligated suppliers.
3. Obligated energy suppliers fund the work. Ofgem's contact page listed twelve of them when we checked, including British Gas, E.ON, EDF, Octopus Energy, OVO, Scottish Power, So Energy, Utilita and Utility Warehouse.
4. TrustMark-registered installers survey the property, carry out the work and provide the quality assurance that the scheme requires.

A detail that surprises many people is that you do not have to be a customer of the supplier you approach. Ofgem's homeowner guidance says you can contact any obligated supplier, even if it does not supply your energy. Suppliers can also choose which homes they take on, so being eligible does not guarantee that work will be offered.

The other key point is the "whole house" approach. ECO4 is not an eco4 boiler replacement scheme in isolation: the installer carries out a retrofit assessment and the measures follow from that. In a poorly insulated home, loft or wall insulation may be fitted alongside, or instead of, a heating upgrade. If your only interest is a like-for-like gas boiler swap, ask the supplier early on what its assessment is likely to recommend.

Who qualifies for a boiler grant under ECO4?

There are two routes in: qualifying benefits plus a low Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating, or ECO4 Flex, which is based on income or health and goes through your council. We describe both in general terms only. Neither we nor any installer can tell you that you qualify; only the supplier can confirm that once it has looked at your circumstances and your home.

Route 1: qualifying benefits plus EPC rating

The gov.uk page on the Energy Company Obligation lists the following benefits as qualifying when we checked on 22 October 2026:

The property also has to be inefficient enough to qualify:

Notice what is not on the benefits list: Personal Independence Payment, Disability Living Allowance, Attendance Allowance, Carer's Allowance and the State Pension on its own. People receiving those are not excluded from ECO4, but they need to qualify through the Flex route below, or through another benefit in the household.

Route 2: ECO4 Flex through your council

Ofgem explains that local authorities and the devolved administrations can refer households that do not receive a qualifying benefit. According to Ofgem's homeowner guidance, you may be referred if your property needs upgrading and either:

• your combined gross annual household income is under £31,000, or
• someone in the household has a severe or long-term health condition, caused by a cardiovascular condition, respiratory disease, limited mobility or immunosuppression, that living in a cold home makes worse.

Ofgem adds that energy suppliers can also refer households that are struggling with persistent fuel debt, or that use a prepayment meter and have regularly been unable to stay connected because of financial hardship. Councils can use other criteria too, and Ofgem notes that your council may allow self-referral. Check your council's website or ask it directly whether it takes part in ECO4 Flex.

Can you get a boiler grant if you are not on benefits?

This is a common question, and the honest answer is "sometimes". The Flex route exists precisely for households that fall outside the benefits list. If your household income is below the £31,000 figure Ofgem quotes, or a health condition in the home is made worse by cold, your council may be able to refer you.

Two things make a difference here. First, your home still has to be inefficient: a well-insulated house with a recent EPC rating of C is unlikely to be taken on whatever your income. Second, not every council participates, and those that do may prioritise certain areas or property types. The only reliable way to find out is to contact your local authority, or to ask an obligated supplier whether it works with councils in your area.

If you are not eligible, the realistic options are to repair, to replace at your own cost or, in England and Wales, to look at the Boiler Upgrade Scheme if you are willing to move to a heat pump. We cover each of those paths further down.

Can tenants and landlords get boiler grants?

Yes, with conditions. Private tenants can qualify in their own right if they receive a listed benefit and the property is rated E, F or G, but gov.uk is clear that the landlord has to give permission. Expect the installer to ask for the landlord's written permission before work goes ahead.

For landlords, ECO4 is not a landlord grant in the usual sense. You cannot apply on your own behalf for a rental property; the tenant's circumstances have to meet the criteria. Where they do, the improvements become part of your property, often at no cost to you.

Social housing tenants are treated differently. gov.uk says tenants of councils and housing associations can qualify if the home is rated E, F or G, with the measures being insulation or the installation of a heating system for the first time. If you are a social tenant with a failing boiler, speak to your landlord first, because it may have its own replacement programme outside ECO4.

Are there boiler grants for disabled people?

There is no separate government scheme for disabled people, and no scheme that provides a free boiler on the basis of disability alone. What exists is the ECO4 Flex health route described above, which Ofgem frames around conditions that a cold home makes worse: cardiovascular and respiratory conditions, limited mobility and immunosuppression.

If you receive a disability benefit that is not on the gov.uk list, do not assume you are excluded. Some households receiving Personal Independence Payment also receive Universal Credit or Housing Benefit, either of which can qualify under Route 1. Where that is not the case, the Flex route through your council is the one to ask about.

You may also come across the phrase "age concern boiler grants". Age Concern is now part of the charity Age UK, which gov.uk suggests contacting for help with a Pension Credit claim form; it is a charity, not a government boiler grant scheme. If you are of pension age, the benefits on the list that are specific to older people are Pension Credit Guarantee Credit and Savings Credit; our pensioners guide, summarised at the end of this article, goes through that in detail.

What does ECO4 actually pay for?

gov.uk lists three groups of measures:

• Insulation, such as loft or cavity wall insulation.
• Replacing or repairing a boiler, or other heating upgrades.
• First-time central heating or insulation for social housing tenants.

Ofgem adds an important caveat: the measures are decided by a retrofit assessment of the property, and you should only agree to measures once you have received a contract. You do not have to agree to any work you do not consider suitable for your home.

What this means for anyone hoping for a free gas boiler is that the outcome varies. One household may get a replacement boiler and new controls; another may be offered insulation first because the assessor judges that the heating is adequate once the heat loss is reduced. Replacement gas boiler grants, in other words, are a possible result of the scheme rather than its purpose.

A note on wording you will see online. "Central heating boiler grants", "government grant boiler" and "government eco boiler scheme" usually point to the same thing: ECO4. A "boiler over 15 years old government scheme" does not exist as a distinct programme; the age of your boiler is not an eligibility criterion on gov.uk, although an old, inefficient boiler will certainly drag down the EPC rating that is one.

How do you apply for a boiler grant?

There is no central application form for ECO4. gov.uk and Ofgem describe a process that runs through a supplier or your council. In practice it looks like this:

1. Check your EPC. Use the official register at gov.uk (search "find an energy certificate") for England and Wales, or the Scottish EPC register for Scotland. If your home has no certificate, ask the supplier or installer how they will establish the rating; knowing your likely band in advance saves time.
2. Check which route you might fit. Compare your household against the gov.uk benefits list and EPC bands, or against the Ofgem Flex criteria. Keep the official pages open while you do it.
3. Contact an obligated supplier. Ofgem publishes the ECO supplier contact details page. You can approach any supplier on it, not just your own.
4. Or ask your council about ECO4 Flex. Ofgem suggests contacting your council or visiting its website to find out whether it takes part.
5. Have the property assessed. A TrustMark-registered installer will survey the home and propose measures. You can walk away at this point if you are unhappy with what is proposed.
6. Read the contract before signing. Ofgem says you should only agree to measures once you have a written contract. Check whether any contribution is being asked of you, and for what.

What about homes heated by oil or LPG?

Searches for an oil combi boiler grant or a new oil boiler grant are common in rural areas, and the honest position is that there is no government scheme that pays specifically for a new oil-fired boiler. The ECO4 criteria on gov.uk do not depend on the fuel you heat with, and the measures on offer follow the same retrofit assessment as everywhere else, so an oil-heated household that qualifies may be offered insulation, heating controls or a different heating system rather than a like-for-like oil boiler.

The scheme that is most relevant to oil and LPG homes is the Boiler Upgrade Scheme. On 22 October 2026, gov.uk stated that properties heated by oil or LPG with no mains gas connection can receive an extra £1,500 on top of the standard £7,500 grant towards an air source or ground source heat pump until March 2027; Ofgem shows this as a £9,000 grant available until 31 March 2027. If you are weighing that up, our comparison of heat pumps versus gas boilers covers running costs and suitability, and the dedicated guide below explains how the Boiler Upgrade Scheme application works.

Which other schemes should you know about?

ECO4 is the main Great Britain-wide route to a funded boiler, but several related schemes get mixed up with it. Here is where each stands based on the official pages we read on 22 October 2026.

Great British Insulation Scheme

Ofgem's page states that the Great British Insulation Scheme ended on 31 March 2026 and is closed to new installations. It only ever covered insulation, never boilers, so if you were pointed towards it for heating, that was wrong.

Boiler Upgrade Scheme

This is the one scheme that does hand out a fixed grant, but only for low-carbon heating. When we checked gov.uk and Ofgem on 22 October 2026, the scheme offered £7,500 towards an air source or ground source heat pump, £2,500 towards an air-to-air heat pump and £5,000 towards a biomass boiler, in England and Wales, for owners replacing a fossil fuel system. Hybrid systems that keep a gas boiler are not eligible, and the MCS-certified installer applies on your behalf. Property conditions such as the EPC requirement have changed in recent years, so the current eligibility rules and timescales are in the dedicated guide summarised below.

Warm Homes: Local Grant

A newer England-only programme delivered by councils. The gov.uk application page describes free improvements for homes in England that are privately owned (by you or your landlord) and rated EPC D to G, such as insulation, air source heat pumps, smart controls and solar panels. Household income must usually be £36,000 a year or less, although gov.uk says some households above that may still qualify through their postcode or a benefit. Gas boilers are not mentioned. You check eligibility and apply through the online service on gov.uk, and your council then arranges a survey if it has funding available; landlords may need to pay for some improvements.

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

ECO4 operates across Great Britain, so Scottish and Welsh households use the same supplier and council routes. For additional devolved support, gov.uk and Ofgem direct Scottish residents to Home Energy Scotland (Ofgem lists 0808 808 2282). In Wales, Ofgem points residents to Nest (0808 808 2244), the Welsh Government's home energy scheme that people often search for as the "nest boiler scheme"; we have not verified its current terms from gov.uk or Ofgem pages, so check gov.wales directly.

Northern Ireland is different: neither ECO4 nor the Boiler Upgrade Scheme applies there, and gov.uk states that the Northern Ireland Boiler Replacement Scheme is closed. If you are looking for a boiler replacement scheme in NI, nidirect.gov.uk is the official source: its energy saving grants page points to NI Energy Advice and to the Housing Executive's Affordable Warmth Scheme.

What is covered in this section?

This hub is the starting point for every grant and scheme article on Boiler Answers. The two linked guides go deeper into the groups and schemes people ask about most.

• Boiler grants for pensioners. Which benefits on the ECO4 list matter for older households, how Pension Credit fits in, what to do if you receive only the State Pension, and how to use the Flex route. Read the full guide: boiler grants for pensioners.
• Boiler Upgrade Scheme. The £7,500 heat pump grant for England and Wales: who qualifies, what the installer does on your behalf, how the application portal works and what the rules say about hybrids, new builds and timescales. Read the full guide: the Boiler Upgrade Scheme explained.

Each article in this cluster carries the same rule as this one: only gov.uk and Ofgem sources, with the date we checked them, and no judgement about any individual's eligibility.

What if you do not qualify?

Many households will not meet the ECO4 criteria, and it is worth knowing what that leaves. Before spending anything, it helps to know how long boilers usually last and whether yours is near the end. If it is still repairable, our comparison of boiler repair against replacement sets out when a fix is worth paying for and when it is money down the drain.

If replacement is the answer, prices are not as frightening as some installers suggest. A straightforward combi swap typically costs in the region of £1,800 to £3,500 fitted, depending on the brand, output and how much pipework changes. Our guide to what a new boiler costs breaks that down by boiler type and home size.

One more clarification, because the phrase comes up constantly: "interest free boiler deals" and "interest free boiler replacement" are retailer finance products, not government schemes. We do not cover finance on this site, so if you are considering one, read the lender's terms rather than relying on anything written here.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a genuinely free boiler scheme in the UK?

Yes, but not in the sense of a voucher you can spend. Under ECO4, obligated energy suppliers fund energy efficiency measures, which can include replacing or repairing a boiler, for lower-income and vulnerable households. The measures are decided by a retrofit assessment and, if you qualify, there is often nothing to pay, although Ofgem notes you may sometimes be asked to contribute. Ofgem describes ECO as an obligation on suppliers rather than a grant scheme.

Can I get a grant for a new boiler if I am not on benefits?

Possibly, through ECO4 Flex. Ofgem explains that local authorities and devolved administrations can refer households that are not on qualifying benefits if their combined gross household income is under £31,000 a year, or if someone in the home has a health condition made worse by living in a cold home. Ask your council whether it takes part in ECO4 Flex and how referrals work in your area.

Can you get a free boiler on Attendance Allowance?

Attendance Allowance is not on the list of ECO4 qualifying benefits published on gov.uk when we checked on 22 October 2026. That does not rule you out: the ECO4 Flex route looks at household income and health conditions rather than specific benefits, and some councils accept self-referrals. Check with your local authority or an obligated energy supplier rather than assuming either way.

Does the scheme replace a working gas boiler?

Not automatically. ECO4 funds measures identified by a retrofit assessment of your home, and gov.uk lists "replacing or repairing a boiler, or other heating upgrades" among the possible measures. Whether your boiler is replaced, repaired or left alone while insulation is fitted depends on that assessment and on the supplier. You cannot pick a new boiler from a menu, so ask the supplier what their survey covers.

Can landlords and tenants get boiler grants?

Private tenants can qualify under ECO4 if they receive a listed benefit, the property has an EPC rating of E, F or G and the landlord gives permission. Landlords do not apply for themselves; the household has to meet the criteria. Social housing tenants can qualify if the home is rated E, F or G. Always confirm the current rules with the supplier before any work is agreed.

Is there a boiler scrappage scheme in 2026?

No. When we checked gov.uk on 22 October 2026 there was no government boiler scrappage scheme, and none of the official schemes pays you for scrapping an old boiler. Anyone offering a "scrappage" payment today is either a retailer promotion or something to treat with caution. The government-backed routes are ECO4 for lower-income households and the Boiler Upgrade Scheme for heat pumps.

Are there boiler grants in Northern Ireland?

ECO4 and the Boiler Upgrade Scheme do not operate in Northern Ireland. The gov.uk Boiler Upgrade Scheme page states that the Northern Ireland Boiler Replacement Scheme is closed. For current support in Northern Ireland, use nidirect.gov.uk, which gov.uk points to for energy saving grants there; when we checked on 22 October 2026 it listed NI Energy Advice and the Housing Executive's Affordable Warmth Scheme.

How long does ECO4 run for?

Ofgem states that ECO4 covers measures installed from 1 April 2022 and runs until 31 December 2026 following a nine-month extension. We checked this on 22 October 2026. The government response on gov.uk says there will be no successor supplier obligation after ECO4, with future support planned through grant funding under the Warm Homes Plan instead. If you are reading this after 2026, check gov.uk for what is open now.

Sources and further reading

• GOV.UK - Help from your energy supplier: the Energy Company Obligation
• Ofgem - Energy Company Obligation (ECO)
• Ofgem - ECO: homeowners and tenants
• Ofgem - ECO supplier contact details
• GOV.UK - Extending the ECO4 end date: government response
• Ofgem - Great British Insulation Scheme
• GOV.UK - Apply for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme
• GOV.UK - Apply for the Warm Homes: Local Grant to improve a home
• GOV.UK - Find ways to save energy in your home

Prices and scheme details were checked on 22 October 2026 and are shown as typical ranges. Always get written quotes from Gas Safe registered installers.