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Do I need insulation for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme? No, not since April 2026

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

No. The requirement to have loft and cavity wall insulation before claiming the Boiler Upgrade Scheme was scrapped in April 2026, and the rule requiring a recent EPC was relaxed at the same time. You can claim the £7,500 grant today with no insulation work at all.

This is one of the most repeated pieces of stale advice in home energy. For the scheme's first four years, your EPC could not carry outstanding loft or cavity insulation recommendations, and thousands of articles explaining that rule are still ranking. The rule is gone. Here is what changed and what still makes sense anyway.

What changed in April 2026

  • The insulation prerequisite was removed. Outstanding loft or cavity wall recommendations on your EPC no longer block the voucher.
  • The EPC recency requirement was relaxed, so an older certificate no longer forces a reassessment before you apply.
  • The grant amounts were untouched: £7,500 for air and ground source heat pumps, £5,000 for biomass, £2,500 for the lower tier, and the £9,000 oil and LPG uplift arriving 21 July 2026.

The change removed the single most common blocker in the application process. Under the old rule, a missing square metre of cavity fill could stall a £7,500 voucher for months.

Old rule vs current rule

Boiler Upgrade Scheme insulation rules before and after April 2026
Before April 2026Now
Loft insulation recommended on EPCHad to be done first, or grant blockedNo requirement
Cavity wall insulation recommended on EPCHad to be done first, or grant blockedNo requirement
EPC ageNeeded a valid EPC within 10 yearsRecency rules relaxed
Grant amount£7,500£7,500, unchanged (£9,000 oil/LPG from 21 July 2026)

Should you insulate anyway?

Often yes, and this is not us reinstating the rule through the back door. Insulation lowers your heat loss, which means a smaller and cheaper heat pump, smaller radiators and lower bills for the life of the system. Loft top-ups cost £400 to £700 on a typical semi and pay back within a few winters.

The difference is that it is now your choice on your timeline, and it can happen after the heat pump rather than as a bureaucratic gate before it. If your income is under £36,000 or someone in the household receives benefits, insulation itself may be fully fundable through ECO4 or the Warm Homes: Local Grant.

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Your questions, answered

Do I need loft insulation before getting a heat pump grant?
No. The insulation prerequisite for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme was scrapped in April 2026. Insulation remains a good idea for lower bills, but it no longer gates the £7,500 grant.
Do I need a new EPC to apply for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme?
The EPC recency requirement was relaxed in April 2026, so an older certificate is no longer the barrier it was. Your MCS installer confirms what is needed for your specific application when they apply for the voucher.
Why do so many websites still say insulation is required?
Because the rule existed from the scheme's launch in 2022 until April 2026 and most articles have not been updated. Always check the date on grant advice, or check the current rules on GOV.UK.
Can I get insulation funded as well as the heat pump?
Possibly. ECO4 funds insulation for households on qualifying benefits, and the Warm Homes: Local Grant can fund it for household incomes under £36,000 with EPC D to G. The heat pump grant and funded insulation can come from different schemes.