Free Gas Central Heating Grants are available to help pay for the installation of gas central heating in homes which have never had central heating before.
Under new rules introduced with the start of ECO4 on 1st April 2022, homes must have an existing mains gas supply to qualify for a grant to install free gas central heating.
You May Qualify for Free Gas Central Heating if Your Home has NEVER had Central Heating Fitted Before.
Free Gas Central Heating Grants are Subject to a Free Survey of your home to assess whether you qualify for Free Gas Central Heating.
Landlords with private tenants can apply for Free Gas Central Heating for their rental property by clicking HERE.
The amount of your Free Gas Central Heating grant can only be calculated after a full survey of your home and its heating system. However, the survey is free whether you qualify or not.
Being a Government scheme, the calculation is complicated. But in simple terms, the greater the reduction in carbon emissions from your home achieved by installing central heating, the greater your grant will be.
Generally speaking, larger properties with more bedrooms and solid walls (rather than cavity walls) will attract higher free central heating grants. Consequently, householders in flats and terrace houses are more likely to be asked a contribution.
Once your free gas central heating grant has been calculated it will be compared to the cost of installing central heating.
If your grant is high enough, you will receive free gas central heating, if not you will be asked to contribute towards the cost. If you choose not to contribute, you can withdraw you application and it will not cost you anything.
1. Free Central Heating Grants are available to home owners, and tenants of private landlords
Only homes with an EPC rating of D, E, F or G for home owners and E, F or G for private tenants are eligible for Central Heating Grants. You can see the EPC rating of your home by clicking HERE for England and Wales or HERE for Scotland.
Unfortunately, if you rent your home from your local council or housing association, or you live in a shared ownership home you will not qualify for a free gas central heating grant.
2. You or someone living with you must receive one of the qualifying State Benefits, Tax Credits or Other Allowances below OR qualify under ECO Flex Rules
ECO Flex
Under ECO Flex Rules your Local Authority can approve your application for a Free Gas Central Heating Grants if you satisfy their rules.
Each Local Authority can set its own rules for qualification of Free Gas Central Heating Grants.
3. You must have one of the following heating systems in your home or NO Heating at all, at the time of your application:
The heating system used to assess whether you qualify for Free Gas Central Heating Grants is the ‘Main Heating’ system on the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) for your home. You can see your EPC HERE if you live in England or Wales and HERE if you live in Scotland.
For most applicants, free gas central heating grants will pay for the supply and installation of an A rated gas boiler, radiators, associated pipe work and a room thermostat.
If any plasterwork is damaged during the installation it will be repaired but the grant does not cover the cost of redecoration.
