Detached house
Any age
Usually the most space for an outdoor unit and cylinder. Higher heat loss means careful sizing.
Funding by home type
Who can get which heat pump funding.
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme is for private homes. Social housing has its own funding routes. Here is how that works across every main UK home type.
The key rule
Private homes
Owner-occupiers, private landlords and custom builds can use the BUS grant. Max claims it on your behalf through an MCS-certified installer.
Social homes
Council and housing association homes cannot use BUS. The landlord funds works through social housing programmes instead. Tenants should speak to their landlord.
Example home types across the UK
Semi-detached house
1930s to 1970s typical
The most common UK home. Often suits a heat pump once radiators and loft insulation are checked.
End-terrace house
Victorian to modern
One exposed side wall. Garden access for the outdoor unit is the usual question.
Mid-terrace house
Victorian / Edwardian
Lower heat loss, but solid walls and tight rear yards need noise and siting checks.
Bungalow
1950s to 1980s
Large roof and floor area. Good fit for solar PV paired with a heat pump.
Rural off-gas home or farmhouse
Often pre-1919
Replacing oil, LPG or electric storage heating often gives the clearest running-cost case.
Privately rented home
Any
Private landlords can apply for BUS. EPC C by 2030 is proposed for new and existing tenancies.
Custom or self-build home
New
Eligible for BUS as a custom build. Developer-built new homes are not.
Purpose-built flat
1960s to today
Owner-occupied flats can apply if a suitable unit can be sited. Leasehold and freeholder consent is often needed.
Converted flat or maisonette
Victorian conversions
Space, consent and shared walls decide feasibility. Some suit air-to-air or communal systems instead.
Council home
Any
Not eligible for BUS. Funded through the council's own programmes and Warm Homes social housing funding.
Housing association home
Any
Not eligible for BUS. The landlord bids for social housing funding and co-funds the works.
Listed or conservation-area home
Usually pre-1919
Can be eligible, but listed building consent or planning comes first.
Developer new build
2025 onwards
Not eligible for BUS. The Future Homes Standard expects low-carbon heating as standard.
Park home
Any
Eligibility and siting need checking case by case. Local grants may apply on low incomes.
Funding routes explained
Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS)
Who it is for: Owner-occupiers, private landlords, small non-domestic properties and custom builds in England and Wales.
Not for: Social housing (council or housing association) and developer new builds.
A grant towards an air source or ground source heat pump, claimed by the installer. A valid EPC with no outstanding loft or cavity insulation recommendations is required.
Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund
Who it is for: Social housing landlords in England: councils and housing associations.
Not for: Individual tenants apply through their landlord, not directly.
Competitive funding for fabric upgrades and low-carbon heating across social homes, usually needing landlord co-funding.
Warm Homes: Local Grant
Who it is for: Low-income households in private homes in England, delivered through local councils.
Not for: Not every council takes part, and income and EPC rules apply.
Insulation, solar and low-carbon heating for eligible homes.
Scotland and Wales
Who it is for: Home Energy Scotland grants and loans; Welsh Nest and social housing retrofit programmes.
Not for: Rules differ from England and change by year.
Separate schemes for private and social homes.
Grant amounts, deadlines and eligibility change. Always check the official source. Funded never means free, and every grant is subject to assessment and approval.
What we need before a property-specific quote
- 01Itemised supplier quotes, each with a date
- 02Confirmation of whether the price includes VAT and the grant
- 03A room-by-room heat-loss survey
- 04A radiator and hot water cylinder survey
- 05An electrical supply and network operator (DNO) check
- 06The listed building consent position, where relevant
- 07A current EPC
- 08Product data sheets and warranty letters covering combined use
- 09A signed Amporah agreement: who pays fees, gross or net, and which income streams are allowed
- 10A battery dispatch model showing no income is counted twice
- 11Real meter data before any Demand Flexibility or frequency-response income is shown
Until these are in place, any price or payback is an illustration only, not an offer.
Facts checked 4 October 2026. Figures are typical and depend on your property, usage and tariff. This is general information, not personal advice.
Just ask Max.
Tell Max your home type and who owns it, and he will show which funding route is likely to apply.