The short version
- The Boiler Upgrade Scheme is not permanent. Under the current regulations the last date on which Ofgem can issue a voucher is 31 December 2029 (regulation 15(7)(c)).
- That is a final date, not a promise of funding until then. Ofgem cannot issue new vouchers once the budget threshold is met, and it may run a queue ordered by when an application is “properly made”.
- A voucher for an air source heat pump lasts three months from the day it is issued, so the scheme’s end date does not give you three years to install.
- Ofgem’s monthly update, last updated 13 October 2026 and covering the period to 30 September 2026, lists £143,585,000 as the remaining budget for 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027. That is a snapshot, Ofgem updates it monthly, and you should check the latest report. We are not forecasting when funding might be used.
- A heat pump may be free of charge for eligible smaller houses and flats, subject to survey and eligibility. The free survey is the first step, and it is how an application can be started while funding is available.
This guide sets out what the rules say about how long the Boiler Upgrade Scheme runs and how its funding works. It is one of our guides to the free heat pump for eligible flats and the question of whether you can get a free heat pump. We checked every source on 8 November 2026. Rules and funding can change, so if you are reading this much later, check the dates again.
The final date: 31 December 2029
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme (England and Wales) Regulations 2022 say the Authority, which is Ofgem, must refuse to issue a boiler upgrade voucher after 31 December 2029. That is regulation 15(7)(c). The date was changed to 2029 by an amending instrument, S.I. 2026/390, which took effect on 28 April 2026.
The consolidated text on legislation.gov.uk flags one change not yet applied, S.I. 2026/1121 (in force 22 October 2026). We opened it: it amends regulation 22 and section 100 of the Energy Act 2008, not regulation 15, so it does not move the date. The date is the one in force today, and a further amendment could change it.
A final issue date is a limit, not a guarantee. It says when the scheme can no longer issue vouchers; it does not say funding will be available every day until then.
The dates that matter, in one place
| Date or period | What it is | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 31 December 2029 | Ofgem must refuse to issue a voucher after this date | BUS Regulations, reg 15(7)(c) |
| 14 days | Time to confirm your consent by email | Ofgem installer guidance, para 5.42 |
| Three months from issue | An air source heat pump voucher expires at the end of this period | BUS Regulations, reg 15(2)(a) |
| 120 days from applying | How GOV.UK words the limit for commissioning | GOV.UK, check if you’re eligible |
| 30 September 2026 | End of the period covered by Ofgem’s latest monthly update we found (last updated 13 October 2026) | Ofgem, BUS monthly scheme update |
| 31 March 2027 | End of the zero rate of VAT on installing energy-saving materials | HMRC Notice 708/6 |
What happens when the budget threshold is met
The Secretary of State sets the scheme budget, and Ofgem’s installer guidance (version 5.2, shown on Ofgem’s page as last updated on 3 November 2026) sets out what follows if the threshold is reached:
- No new vouchers. Ofgem cannot issue any new vouchers once the budget threshold has been met. A voucher already issued and still valid is paid after a successful redemption.
- A possible queue. If the budget runs out, Ofgem may operate a queue. The installer can still apply, but no voucher is issued until the application reaches the front and budget becomes available. Queue position is based on when the application is deemed properly made, and the queue can shrink when vouchers expire or are returned, or when the allocation is increased, reset or removed.
- A possible quarterly cap. The Secretary of State may cap the vouchers issued each quarter, to keep vouchers available through the scheme year. If a cap is introduced, a notice is published before the quarter begins.
The regulations say the same thing in their own words: Ofgem must consider properly made applications in the order it receives them, and may not issue a voucher without the Secretary of State’s written consent once the budget allocation for the year, or for a quarter if one has been published, is met.
Where to see the current position
Ofgem publishes a BUS monthly scheme update. When we opened it on 8 November 2026 it was marked as last updated on 13 October 2026 and said its figures relate to the period from 23 May 2022 to 30 September 2026. It lists £143,585,000 under the label “Remaining budget for Year 5 (1 April 2026 – 31 March 2027)”.
Ofgem’s note to that line says the remaining budget includes all undetermined applications and vouchers issued yet to be redeemed, and that it is a dynamic value: when vouchers expire or are returned, more budget becomes available for future vouchers. We have not read any more into that wording than Ofgem states, and the report does not give the year’s total allocation.
That figure is a snapshot, not a forecast. Ofgem’s page says its figures are updated monthly and its guidance says monthly reports are published in the first week of the following month, yet the page still showed the 13 October update when we looked on 8 November. Check the latest report before relying on any number. If the annual budget allocation is met, Ofgem’s guidance says it will tell installers through its website and social media channels. We are not forecasting when funding might be used.
Budgets and rules are set by government and can change
Budget 2026 says the government remains committed to heat pump deployment and will maintain the Boiler Upgrade Scheme. We do not quote a funding figure, because two official publications do not agree for the same year: Budget 2026 gives one amount for 2027–28, and the budget table in Ofgem’s guidance gives a different one. Ofgem’s table also carries a note that part of the 2026–2030 budget is set aside for potential future innovation activity, so its amounts may not equal the money available for vouchers. The guidance says DESNZ will publish the confirmed annual allocations before each financial year.
Ofgem’s scheme page lists DESNZ’s responsibilities as including setting the scheme budget and altering grant values where required. Under regulation 13, the Secretary of State may review the value of a grant and increase or decrease it, and must publish a notice at least 28 days before a new value takes effect. So the honest summary is that the scheme is funded in budgets, and its rules and funding can change.
Voucher validity: three months, not the scheme’s end date
Regulation 15(2)(a) says a voucher for an air-to-water or air-to-air heat pump expires at the end of the day that falls at the end of three months beginning with the date it is issued. Which grant category applies depends on the type of heat pump, and the survey confirms it for your home.
GOV.UK words the limit differently: your installer must commission and install the heat pump within 120 days of applying, or it will not be eligible. Ofgem’s guidance has a separate 120-day rule for applications made after an installation is commissioned. Both limits are there for a reason, so plan around whichever comes first, and ask your installer which dates apply to you. If you need your landlord’s or freeholder’s permission, see permission for a heat pump in a flat and get it before the application.
What “properly made” needs from you
Because queue position depends on when an application is “properly made”, it matters what that means. Ofgem’s guidance says a voucher application is only properly made once Ofgem has all the information it needs to assess eligibility and the property owner has given consent and identity verification. If Ofgem asks for more, the application is not properly made until that information is provided.
Some of that is yours to do:
- Consent by email. Once the installer applies, Ofgem emails the property owner. You must use the link within 14 days of being contacted, or the application expires and may be rejected. Ofgem does not accept consent any other way, except through an assisted digital route.
- Identity checks. Ofgem may ask for identity verification, and further information if it needs it.
- What you confirm. Your full name, the key project details, that you own the property (or co-own it with the agreement of all other owners), that you consent to the application, that you will own the heating system afterwards and that the property is not social housing.
None of this speeds up Ofgem. It does mean the part you control, answering promptly and having your details ready, is worth doing early. Our guide to the steps for a free heat pump in an eligible flat covers the process from survey to handover.
One more date: VAT on installation
This is separate from the grant. HMRC Notice 708/6 lists air source heat pumps among the energy-saving materials whose installation is zero-rated for supplies from 1 May 2023 to 31 March 2027, and says that from 1 April 2027 these supplies revert to the reduced rate of VAT of 5%. The notice does not say how that applies to any particular quote, so ask your installer how VAT will be shown, and when the supply falls. We make no claim about what it means for your total.
What this means for a free heat pump
A heat pump may be free of charge for eligible smaller houses and flats, subject to survey and eligibility. ByEco’s view is that smaller homes and flats need less material and less labour than bigger houses, which is why ByEco can offer a heat pump free of charge under the scheme for eligible properties, subject to survey and eligibility. That is ByEco’s own explanation, not a figure from the scheme. It is not a promise, and we do not define “smaller” by a number; our guide to whether your home is small enough explains why.
The scheme’s dates then give a plain reason not to leave it late. The scheme is not permanent, its final voucher issue date is 31 December 2029, Ofgem stops issuing new vouchers once the budget threshold is met, and a voucher lasts three months. Asking for your free assessment sooner means your application can be made while funding is available. Ofgem’s monthly update shows the latest remaining budget, and we are not forecasting how long it will last.
What the free survey or assessment does
Ofgem’s guidance requires the installer, before applying, to carry out an on-site assessment and be satisfied that the property and the chosen technology meet all the eligibility requirements. ByEco’s free survey is that step. It lets us look at your home and your current heating, check whether you may be eligible, work out what system the property needs, and explain what, if anything, is left to pay. See what to expect from a heat pump survey.
How to book
Use the contact page to ask for your free survey. It helps to have to hand who owns the property, what heats it now, whether you rent it out, and an email address you check, because Ofgem asks for your consent by email.
What to ask, and where ByEco stands
- Is my home eligible, and how will you show I own it?
- Which grant category applies to the heat pump you propose?
- When would you make the application, and what do you need from me so it is properly made?
- What does the contract say if the application is rejected or the voucher is revoked?
ByEco is MCS certified for air source heat pump installation (certificate IAA10330). We apply for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant on your behalf. For a general explanation of the grant, see the Boiler Upgrade Scheme guide, and for cost, our cost guide.
Get in touch for your free survey and, if your home is eligible, ByEco can start your Boiler Upgrade Scheme application while funding is available. See also our heat pumps and grants pages.
Sources
Every figure on this page was checked against primary sources on 8 November 2026. Grant rules, planning rules and prices change — if you are reading this much later, verify before acting.
- legislation.gov.uk — Boiler Upgrade Scheme (England and Wales) Regulations 2022, regulation 15
- legislation.gov.uk — Boiler Upgrade Scheme (England and Wales) Regulations 2022, regulation 13
- legislation.gov.uk — Boiler Upgrade Scheme (Amendment to the Energy Act 2008 etc.) Regulations 2026
- Ofgem — Boiler Upgrade Scheme: guidance for installers
- Ofgem — Boiler Upgrade Scheme guidance for installers V5.2 (PDF)
- Ofgem — Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS)
- Ofgem — BUS monthly scheme update
- GOV.UK — Apply for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme: check if you’re eligible
- HM Treasury — Budget 2026
- HMRC — VAT on energy-saving materials and heating equipment (Notice 708/6)
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.