Free heat pump for 1 and 2 bedroom flats.*
Own a 1 or 2 bedroom flat heated by gas, oil, LPG or electricity? The heat pump we fit in flats — a compact indoor air-to-water unit, installed entirely inside your flat — is 100% covered by the Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant, so you pay nothing. Every one of the 192 flats we’ve had installed so far paid nothing. Book your free, no-obligation assessment.
*Terms and conditions apply. You must own the flat (landlords included); social housing and shared ownership aren’t eligible. It must replace gas, oil, LPG or electric heating, and the flat must not have had government heat pump funding before. Ofgem must approve the Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant, and our assessment and the installer’s heat loss survey must confirm the unit suits your flat. Any lease or freeholder consent must be in place. Installation is by our partner MCS certified installer, and the offer is subject to grant funding being available.
The short version
- A free heat pump may be possible for an eligible flat, subject to survey and eligibility. The offer terms are in the box at the top of this page and are ByEco’s own; the scheme rules sit underneath them.
- GOV.UK lists £7,500 towards an air source heat pump (sometimes called an air-to-water heat pump) and describes the grant as taken off the amount you pay. Whether anything is left to pay is confirmed in the quote after the survey.
- We found no bedroom test and no mention of leasehold or the freeholder in GOV.UK, Ofgem’s installer guidance or the regulations, so those two questions are answered from ByEco’s offer terms and brochure.
- The Boiler Upgrade Scheme is not permanent: the final voucher issue date is 31 December 2029, and Ofgem cannot issue new vouchers once the budget threshold is met.
If you own a flat and are asking whether a free heat pump may be possible, these are the questions that come up once the headline offer has been read. The answers sit alongside our guides to free heat pumps for flats, the eligibility checklist, flats with a gas boiler and which homes may get a free heat pump. The grant is the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS), run by Ofgem for England and Wales; for the scheme in full, see our Boiler Upgrade Scheme guide.
Eligibility
Can a second-home or rented-out flat get a free heat pump if it is eligible?
It may. GOV.UK’s ownership test covers a second home and a property you rent out to tenants, and Ofgem’s guidance lists owner-occupied homes, rented-out homes and second homes as examples of residential properties. The test is ownership, so a tenant who does not own the flat would not meet it on that wording (our reading, not a sentence in the sources). Our landlord’s flat guide goes through that case.
What if two of us own the flat?
The sources involve every owner. Ofgem says the owner confirms ownership, or co-ownership with the agreement of all other owners, and the regulations say any confirmation requested must be provided by or on behalf of every owner. Tell us at your first call who is on the title, so nothing stalls later.
Can a flat in a recently built block qualify?
GOV.UK says you cannot get a grant for most new build properties, and that new builds the developer is still building are not eligible. It adds that if you move into a finished new build with a fossil fuel boiler, you may be able to get a grant for a heat pump. So the answer turns on the completion date and the heating the flat came with; tell us both when you get in touch.
What if my block has one shared heating system?
Ofgem’s guidance says cascade systems heating multiple unrelated properties, such as flats, are not eligible. It defines a cascade system as two or more heat pumps linked to serve a single property and any related properties. ByEco’s offer, per the box at the top, is for a unit installed entirely inside your own flat. If your flat is heated from a system shared with other flats, say so at the start and we will tell you how it applies.
The heat pump and the work
Is the grant the same for every type of heat pump?
No. GOV.UK lists £7,500 towards an air source heat pump (sometimes called an air-to-water heat pump) and £2,500 towards an air-to-air heat pump. The unit described in the offer box at the top is ByEco’s indoor air-to-water unit, so the £7,500 line is the one that matches it. Your survey confirms the unit that suits your flat.
Who is allowed to install a grant-funded heat pump?
An MCS certified installer. GOV.UK tells you to contact MCS certified installers for quotes, and Ofgem’s guidance says installers must be MCS certified to install the heating system they are applying for. ByEco’s offer terms say installation is by our partner MCS certified installer. Ask to see the installer’s certificate before you agree a quote.
What happens at the survey?
The survey is where eligibility and suitability are checked, and you can ask for ByEco’s free survey. According to ByEco’s brochure, we visit, measure each room and look at the walls, windows, radiators, pipework, electrics and where a unit or vents could go, and a room-by-room heat loss calculation sets the kW size needed. Ofgem separately requires the installer to carry out an on-site assessment and be satisfied that the property and technology meet the eligibility requirements. See what to expect from a heat pump survey.
What will the quote show?
ByEco’s brochure says the quote is clear and itemised, with the unit, the hot water arrangement, any radiator changes and electrical work all in writing, and that we go ahead only if you are happy with it. Ofgem requires the quote to include the grant as an upfront discount. The quote is also where you see whether anything is left to pay.
Will anyone check the work afterwards?
They may. GOV.UK says Ofgem will contact you to confirm that the installer is acting on your behalf, and might also contact you by phone or visit your property to check the installation. It adds that MCS might contact you to carry out their own checks. Ofgem’s guidance also says it may request access to the property for audit purposes, so keep your paperwork together.
The grant and the money side
Does the grant cover the whole cost of a free heat pump for an eligible flat?
Whether it does for your flat is confirmed in the quote after the survey. GOV.UK lists £7,500 for an air source (air-to-water) heat pump and describes the grant as taken off the amount you pay for installation; it does not say what share of any particular job that is. The offer in the box at the top is ByEco’s own, with its own terms, and is not a scheme rule. A free heat pump may be possible for an eligible flat, subject to survey and eligibility.
Do I pay first and claim the grant back?
Not on the scheme’s wording. GOV.UK says the value of the grant is taken off the amount you pay for installation and shown on your quotation and invoice, and that the installer will apply on your behalf on the Ofgem website. Ofgem’s guidance adds that installers must not request or accept payment of the grant amount from the property owner. If a quote asks you to cover the grant amount yourself, ask why before signing.
What happens if Ofgem rejects the application?
Ofgem’s guidance says that if an application is rejected or a voucher revoked, the installer’s ability to seek payment of the deducted amount depends on the contract between you and the installer, and that Ofgem has no role in those arrangements. So read the contract before you sign and ask what it says if the grant is not approved.
Can I get more than one grant?
GOV.UK says you can get one grant per property. A flat is the property you apply for, and the ownership test applies to each one. If you own more than one flat, ask us how the survey and Ofgem would treat each; the sources we read do not go further than that line.
Leases, landlords and permission
Do I need my freeholder’s permission before the work starts?
Possibly. No grant source we read mentions leasehold or the freeholder, so this is not a scheme rule. ByEco’s offer terms say any lease or freeholder consent must be in place, and ByEco’s brochure says wall openings can still need permission from the council or the freeholder, so we check this for your building at the survey. Read your lease for restrictions on work to the building or its exterior, and see permission for a heat pump in a flat.
If I rent the flat out, do I have to tell my tenant?
Yes, on the scheme wording. The regulations say that if the property owner does not occupy the property, they must have informed the tenant, if any, of the impact of the installation, and Ofgem’s guidance repeats this as something the owner confirms. Speak to your tenant early about access and about the work in the flat.
Timing and next steps
How long do I have to complete the installation?
Plan around the shorter of two limits. The regulations say an air-to-water voucher expires three months after the date it is issued, while GOV.UK says your installer must commission and install the heat pump within 120 days of applying for the grant. Neither is always the shorter, so ask your installer which date applies to your application.
Is the grant budget running out?
We cannot say, and we are not forecasting. Ofgem’s BUS monthly scheme update, with statistics to 31 October 2026 and last updated on 11 November 2026, lists £62,665,000 as the remaining budget for Year 5 (1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027). Ofgem’s footnote says the figure includes all undetermined applications and vouchers issued yet to be redeemed, and that it is a dynamic value, because budget is released when vouchers expire or are returned. The earlier update, last updated on 13 October 2026 (statistics to 30 September 2026), listed £143,585,000 when ByEco read it on 8 November 2026; we have not been able to re-open that earlier version, so treat it as history and check the latest report.
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme is not permanent. The regulations say Ofgem must refuse to issue a voucher after 31 December 2029. Ofgem’s guidance says it cannot issue new vouchers once the budget threshold is met, that if the available budget runs out it may operate a queue ordered by when an application is deemed properly made, and that the Secretary of State may introduce a quarterly cap on vouchers. Asking for your free assessment sooner may mean your application can be made while funding is available, if your flat is eligible. Rules and funding can change.
What should I do next?
Call 0161 710 4510 or use the contact page to ask for your free survey. Have to hand: the flat’s address area, what heats it now, who owns it, whether anyone holds a share or co-owns it, and whether a lease or freeholder is involved. The survey is free, and it is how we find out whether your flat is eligible and what would apply. For background, see our heat pumps and grants pages, or how to start an application.
Sources
Every figure on this page was checked against primary sources on 12 November 2026. Grant rules, planning rules and prices change — if you are reading this much later, verify before acting.
- GOV.UK — Apply for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme: what you can get
- GOV.UK — Apply for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme: check if you’re eligible
- GOV.UK — Apply for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme: how to apply
- Ofgem — Boiler Upgrade Scheme: guidance for installers
- Ofgem — Boiler Upgrade Scheme guidance for installers V5.2 (PDF)
- Ofgem — BUS monthly scheme update
- legislation.gov.uk — Boiler Upgrade Scheme (England and Wales) Regulations 2022, regulation 5
- legislation.gov.uk — Boiler Upgrade Scheme (England and Wales) Regulations 2022, regulation 14
- legislation.gov.uk — Boiler Upgrade Scheme (England and Wales) Regulations 2022, regulation 15
Book your free home survey
Every home is different. The cost depends on the size of system, any radiators that need upgrading, the pipework and where the outdoor unit goes. Get in touch and we will arrange a free survey of your home and give you a clear quote. If you are happy with it, we can go ahead.