The long-awaited Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) starts today (1 April 2022) for homeowners in England and Wales.
What do we know about the scheme?
Installers can apply for grants of £5,000 for air source heat pump (ASHP) installations and £6,000 for ground source heat pump (GSHP) installations on behalf of their customers.
Funding is available for new systems commissioned on or after 1 April 2022 in existing or self-build homes. Installations must be carried out by an MCS certified installer.
Do you need help with your MCS application?
Visit our MCS Made Easy platform – it’s a one-stop-shop to guide and support installers through the MCS certification process.
Heat pump installers will be the first port of call for consumers who are interested in the scheme, so they must be well informed and have processes in place to cope with an increase in enquiries.
The scheme is administered by Ofgem and applications will be made through a dedicated platform from 23 May 2022. Accounts can be created from 11 April 2022 and Ofgem is holding an installer webinar on this date to guide installers through the process and answer any questions. Register for the webinar here.
The scheme will run until April 2025, creating opportunities for experienced heating and gas installers to upskill to take advantage of the scheme. View our air source heat pump upskill coursefor more information about training options.
It is concerning that there is an initial seven week wait before installers can start applying under the BUS. We hope that funding will materialise quickly once voucher applications are made to ease any cash flow issues for installers.
Dates for installer’s diaries…
1 April 2022 – heat pump systems commissioned from today are eligible for the BUS.
11 April 2022 – Installers can create an account on the BUS platform – register for the Ofgem installer webinar for more information and guidance.
2 May 2022 – BUS installer guidance will be published this week.
23May 2022 – Official launch – installers can start making applications under the scheme.