Boiler Upgrade Scheme Statistics 2026: Uptake, Costs and Trends

Quick answer: By the end of May 2026, the Boiler Upgrade Scheme had received 130,988 voucher applications and paid out 84,879 grants, according to official DESNZ statistics. Applications in May 2026 (4,411) were 19% higher than a year earlier — and a £9,000 uplift for oil and LPG homes arrives on 21 July 2026.

The Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) is the main grant supporting heat pump installations in England and Wales, offering £7,500 towards an air source or ground source system. DESNZ publishes monthly official statistics on how it is being used. The figures below come from the May 2026 release, published on 25 June 2026 — the most recent data available.

The headline numbers to the end of May 2026

• 130,988 voucher applications received since the scheme opened in May 2022 — 98% for air-to-water heat pumps.
• 111,633 vouchers issued.
• 84,879 redemptions paid — i.e. completed installations where the grant has been claimed.
• 19% — the year-on-year rise in applications in May 2026 (4,411 vs 3,700 in May 2025).

2026 month by month

Applications strengthened notably through the spring, with March, April and May all above 4,400 — comfortably ahead of the equivalent months in 2025:

Across January to May 2026 that totals 20,230 applications, up from 18,629 in the same months of 2025 — growth of roughly 9%. Redemptions (paid-out grants) run a few months behind applications, which is why they track lower. The application surge fits the wider installation picture we covered in our analysis of record MCS data and the 2025 year in review.

Which technologies are being funded

The scheme is overwhelmingly an air source heat pump story. Of the 130,988 applications received to the end of May 2026, 127,949 (98%) were for air-to-water heat pumps, with 2,315 for ground source systems, 587 for biomass boilers (rural, off-gas-grid homes only) and 75 for shared ground loop systems. The newest category — air-to-air heat pumps, eligible for a £2,500 grant since April 2026 — had attracted 62 applications by the end of May, an early trickle that DESNZ’s future releases will show building (or not) through the summer.

Where the grants are going

The regional spread has been stable for months. Of all redemptions paid to the end of May 2026, the South East leads with 16,979 (20%), followed by the South West on 15,232 (18%). The North West accounts for 6,918, Wales for 4,393 (5%), and the North East for the fewest at 2,573 (3%). Just over half of funded installations (51%) were in urban areas, and 62% of recipient properties were on the gas grid.

The previous-heating breakdown is telling: 55% of all funded installations replaced gas systems, 17% replaced oil, and 13% went into properties with no heating system at all. That 17% oil share matters for what happens next.

Costs: heat pumps are getting cheaper in real terms

DESNZ reports the nominal median cost of an air-to-water heat pump installation in Q1 2026 (January to March) was £13,100 including the grant value; ground source systems had a median of £27,352. After adjusting for inflation, the typical air source cost is 10% lower than in the scheme’s first year (£14,553 in Q1 2023). With £7,500 of that covered by the grant, many households’ net cost lands in the £5,000–£6,000 range — try our savings calculator to see what the sums could look like for your home, or read our heat pump guide first.

What changes in 2026/27

• £9,000 for oil and LPG homes only: from 21 July 2026 to 31 March 2027, homes currently heated by oil or LPG qualify for an uplifted £9,000 grant. The standard grant stays at £7,500 for everyone else (GOV.UK).
• £2,500 for air-to-air heat pumps became available from April 2026.
• Scheme extended to March 2030, with a £400m budget for 2026-27.
• There is no income test, and your MCS-certified installer applies on your behalf — the application date sets the grant amount.

FAQs

How many Boiler Upgrade Scheme grants have been paid out?

84,879 redemptions had been paid by the end of May 2026, out of 130,988 applications and 111,633 vouchers issued since May 2022, according to official DESNZ statistics published on 25 June 2026.

Is Boiler Upgrade Scheme demand growing in 2026?

Yes. May 2026 applications (4,411) were 19% higher than May 2025, and January–May 2026 applications were up roughly 9% year on year. March 2026 (4,517) was the strongest month of the year so far.

Who can get the £9,000 Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant?

Only households whose homes are currently heated by oil or LPG, for applications made between 21 July 2026 and 31 March 2027. It is not the standard rate — air source and ground source grants remain £7,500 for other eligible homes in England and Wales.