Goodbye RHI - It’s Time for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme!

Today (1 April) is the start of the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) in the England and Wales, offering business opportunities for heat pump engineers and experienced heating installers ready to upskill to heat pumps.

What is the Boiler Upgrade Scheme?

Residential heat pump systems commissioned from now on are no longer eligible for the Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive (DRHI), which offered regular payments over the course of 7 years depending on how much renewable energy was generated.

Instead, consumers who are replacing an old boiler (or building their own home, in some cases) can get a grant towards the installation costs of a new heat pump system under the BUS.

The industry has long called for an upfront financial incentive like this, because the cost of renewables has been a major barrier for consumers – even those with green ambitions.

The BUS will run until April 2025 so there is plenty of time for gas engineers and heating installers to get trained up for the scheme. Our air source heat pump training course offers qualified heating and plumbing engineers the opportunity to take advantage of the boost to the market provided by the BUS and wider government plans to bring down the cost of heat pumps over the next decade.

How much money is on offer?

The BUS offers grants of £5,000 for ASHP systems and £6,000 for GSHP systems.

This is expected to provide a welcome boost for ASHPs, bringing installation costs in-line with that of boiler installation, but is unlikely to have much impact on GSHP uptake due to the significantly higher installation costs.

How does the BUS work?

Installers can apply for grants under the BUS through a dedicated platform from 23 May 2022. Eligible installations must be MCS certified and commissioned on or after 1 April 2022.

Interested consumers will need to contact an MCS accredited heat pump installer, who will guide them through the process and apply for the grant on their behalf. Installer guidance is being issued in the week beginning 2 May 2022 but in the meantime, more information can be found here.

The scheme is being administered by Ofgem.

Come to the launch of our Daikin Sustainable Home Centre!

If you live in the Halifax area and you’re interested in upskilling to heat pumps, why not come along to the launch of our new Daikin Sustainable Home Centre at Viva HQ?

The event will include giveaways, including tools from Kane and Wera and money-off Daikin products, and presentations delivered by Daikin experts tailored specifically for installers, covering heat pump training, sales, installation support and potential market.

Visit our Eventbrite page to register for tickets – its free!