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Free boiler grants: the version without the sales pitch

Photo of Danny Whitfield, heating and energy writer

Written by Danny Whitfield

Heating and energy writer · Last updated 13 July 2026

Checked against GOV.UK: 10 July 2026 · Last verified: 13 July 2026

Fully funded boilers and heat pumps are real, through the government's ECO4 scheme, but only for households where someone receives a qualifying benefit such as Universal Credit or Pension Credit. If nobody in your home gets one of those benefits, ECO4 is almost certainly not your route, and this page will tell you what is.

Half the internet wants you to believe everyone gets a free boiler. The other half insists it is all a scam. Both are wrong, and both cost you money: the first wastes your time on applications that fail, the second scares eligible households away from thousands of pounds of funded work.

When you do genuinely qualify, this is the difference ECO4 pays for, at no cost to you:

An old, rusty and grimy gas boiler in a UK home, the kind ECO4 replaces
Before: a tired, inefficient old boiler on its way out.
A brand new modern gas combi boiler freshly installed in a UK kitchen
After: a new efficient combi, fully funded if you qualify. ECO4 can fund a heat pump or insulation the same way.

Who genuinely qualifies

Two conditions, and you need both:

  1. Someone in the household receives a qualifying benefit. The list is specific:
  • Universal Credit
  • Pension Credit (Guarantee Credit)
  • Income Support
  • Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance
  • Income-related ESA
  • Housing Benefit
  • Child Tax Credit or Working Tax Credit
  • Child Benefit (income limits apply)
  1. The home is energy inefficient. For owner-occupiers that usually means an EPC rating of D or below. Privately rented homes typically need E, F or G, plus the landlord's permission.

Meet both and ECO4 can cover the entire job: boiler or heat pump, insulation, controls. Not a discount, the whole cost, paid by the large energy suppliers and delivered through TrustMark-registered installers. Checked against GOV.UK: 10 July 2026.

Who doesn't qualify, honestly

  • Working households with no benefits. A £45,000 household income and no benefits means no ECO4, whatever the adverts imply.
  • Homes that are already efficient. A well-insulated house at EPC C is doing its job. The scheme targets the leakiest housing first.
  • Most private renters without landlord sign-off. The landlord owns the boiler, so the landlord must agree.

One genuine exception: councils can refer some low-income households that are not on benefits through "flexible eligibility" (LA Flex), usually where income is low or a health condition is made worse by a cold home. It varies by council and is worth one phone call if you are close to the line.

Not eligible? Here is your actual route

If you are not on any of these benefits, ECO4 probably isn't your route, but the Boiler Upgrade Scheme has no income test at all. It pays £7,500 towards a heat pump, or £9,000 if you currently heat with oil or LPG. And if your household income is under £36,000 with an EPC of D to G, ask your council about the Warm Homes: Local Grant, which can fully fund improvements in participating areas. The full comparison is in our heat pump grants guide.

ECO4 at a glance

ECO4 scheme summary
CoversBoilers, heat pumps, insulation, heating controls, sometimes solar. Whole-house approach.
Cost to youUsually £0 when you qualify. Some jobs ask for a contribution, which the installer must state up front.
Who delivers itTrustMark-registered installers, funded by the big energy suppliers under a government obligation.
WhereEngland, Scotland and Wales.
DeadlineRules and deadlines change. Check now and we confirm what is currently open.
Row of Victorian terraced houses in the UK, the housing stock ECO4 insulation grants target most
Pre-1919 terraces lose heat fastest, which is exactly why ECO4 prioritises them.

How to avoid the cowboys

  • Check the installer on the TrustMark register before letting anyone survey your home.
  • Never pay an up-front "survey fee" or "admin fee" for a fully funded scheme.
  • Be suspicious of anyone who guarantees approval before asking about your benefits and EPC.
  • Worried the whole scheme is dodgy? We wrote up the evidence in is the ECO4 scheme legit.

Your questions, answered

Am I eligible for ECO4?
You are likely eligible if someone in your household receives a qualifying benefit (Universal Credit, Pension Credit Guarantee Credit, Income Support, income-based JSA, income-related ESA, Housing Benefit or Tax Credits) and your home is energy inefficient, typically EPC D or below for owner-occupiers. Both conditions matter.
Can I get a free boiler if I'm not on benefits?
Through ECO4, almost certainly not, and any site telling you otherwise wants your phone number more than it wants to help you. Your realistic route is the Boiler Upgrade Scheme: £7,500 off a heat pump with no income test. Some councils can also refer non-benefit households to ECO4 under 'flexible eligibility' rules, but that is the exception.
Are there boiler grants for pensioners?
Yes, and pensioners are among the most likely to qualify. Pension Credit (Guarantee Credit) is a qualifying benefit for ECO4, so pensioner households receiving it can get fully funded heating work. Around 800,000 eligible pensioners do not claim Pension Credit at all, so claiming it can open the grant too.
Does ECO4 only cover boilers?
No. ECO4 takes a whole-house approach: insulation, heat pumps, heating controls and sometimes solar panels, alongside or instead of a boiler. The installer surveys the property and proposes the package that lifts its energy rating most.
When does ECO4 end?
Scheme rules and deadlines change, and sources conflict on timing, so we do not print a hard date. Check your eligibility now and we will confirm what is currently open when we match you with an installer.