Upgrading your back boiler could save you up to £540 on your bills

Back boiler replacement grants

Back boilers were once extremely popular as they could be hidden out of sight in a fireplace with a gas or electric fire in front.

Except for a small number of back boilers made in the early 2010’s all back boilers are non-condensing and are usually less than 65% efficient. This means that for every £1 of gas, at least 35p is going straight up the chimney in waste heat.

Because of changes to minimum efficiency values back boilers are no longer available and can be replaced with either a wall mounted boiler or an Air Source Heat Pump.

A whole house approach to energy efficiency

As part of the ECO4 scheme we will also upgrade the insulation in your home before installing your new boiler if:

Ventilation

If we are upgrading the insulation in your home the amount of air that can circulate will be reduced as gaps which may have allowed draughts previously are closed up. Poor ventilation can lead to poor air quality and in turn condensation forming which can cause mould and damp patches to appear.

To ensure that this doesn’t happen we will bring your homes ventilation up to the latest standards and install additional ventilation where required as part of the ECO4 grant.

Do I qualify for a free back boiler upgrade grant?

To qualify for a free heating grant, you must be a homeowner and in receipt of one of the benefits listed below.

Alternatively, if you are a tenant we may be able to upgrade your back boiler to an environmentally friendly Air Source Heat Pump.

I’m not receiving one of these benefits, can I be helped?

Up to 50% of energy efficiency measures installed in England, Wales and Scotland can be completed through the ECO4 Flex scheme and is for households whose combined gross income is below £31,000 per year or if you have certain health conditions which would make you vulnerable to the cold.

The ECO4 Flex scheme is administered by Local Authorities who are responsible for rolling it out in your area and they will verify your income or health eligibility. It is rolling out slowly and is expected to be fully live by April 2023.

We will check as part of your application if your area is now open for applications.

I’m a Landlord, can I get any help?

The Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) came in to effect in April 2018 and means that all rented properties must now have a minimum energy efficiency rating of band ‘E’ unless exempted.

However, from 2025, all properties rented on new tenancies must meet a minimum energy efficiency rating of Band ‘C’ and properties with existing tenants must be brought up to this standard by 2028. Failure to do so could result in a fine of up to £30,000.

These changes are in line with the Government’s net zero emissions by 2050 targets and will also apply to properties which are being sold from 2035.

How can we help?

If your tenant is receiving one of the benefits listed above your property will be eligible for a grant to improve your property, including upgrading a back boiler to an environmentally friendly Air Source Heat Pump along with solar panels to further increase the efficiency of your property.

In fact, the ECO4 scheme says that all Band ‘E’ rated properties must reach a minimum Band ‘C’ after installation of energy efficiency measures.