Who is entitled to a free boiler?

 The cost of heating your home all year round can be sky-high which may be difficult to manage for many homeowners as well as very stressful, especially if you have a tight budget or limited income. However, that could all change thanks to the free boiler grant. If you qualify for the grant you can have your old inefficient system replaced with a new, environmentally friendly boiler that is also kinder to your finances. With your new boiler in place after a free installation, you can start enjoying savings in excess of £300 a year.

Free boiler grants are available to households that receive certain qualifying benefits such as job seekers allowance, income support, working tax credits, universal credit, disabled attendance allowance, and carer’s allowance as long as your boiler is overdue to be replaced. So, to be entitled to a free boiler you must:

•   Be a homeowner- you could be a pensioner, a single parent, or a disabled homeowner
•     Receive qualifying, income-related benefits- whether you or someone in your household is in receipt of them
•     Have a boiler that is over 7 years old
•     Have oil, gas, LPG, or electric supply

What exactly is the free boiler grant scheme?

As part of the government’s ECO3 scheme, the ‘big six’ leading energy companies have an obligation to provide grants for replacement boilers to people who are eligible. This allows you to receive a brand-new boiler for free or at a fraction of the price it would usually cost.

The scheme is open to UK homeowners and some private tenants for you to take advantage of, like many other people around the country. The grant for tenants scheme offers the installation of a new central heating system including a boiler and radiators, as well as the relevant pipework and control panels.

Under the current Free Boiler Scheme, your boiler must be more than 7 years old to qualify for a free grant. Boilers that are under 7 years of age are excluded from the grant as it is likely to be more cost-effective to repair your existing boiler instead of having it replaced under the scheme.

 Who is likely to be entitled to a free boiler?

If your boiler is over the age of 7 as mentioned above then you are part of the way there when it comes to qualifying for a free boiler grant. The second part of the eligibility criteria relates to you or someone in your household being in receipt of one of the multiple income-related benefits. The main qualifying benefits are:     Child benefits

• Armed forces independence payment
• Constant attendance allowance
• War pensions mobility supplement
• Ministry of Justice benefits
• Industrial injuries disablement benefits
• Severe disablement allowance
• Carer’s allowance
• Attendance allowance
• Personal independence payment
• Disability living allowance
• Universal Credit
• Working tax credit
• Pension guaranteed credit
• Income support
• Income-based job seekers’ allowance
• Income-related employment support allowance
• Child tax credit

This is beneficial for many people including pensioners, single parents, homeowners, and private tenants who could be entitled to a free boiler under the conditions of the scheme.

What savings can you make with a new boiler?

If you’re eligible for a free boiler grant then you could be heading towards substantial savings on your energy bill. In some cases, an old boiler might be wasting as much as a third of every £1 you are spending on heating your home. Some boilers, depending on their age and service history, could be operating at only 65% efficiency. Whereas, when you have a new A-rated boiler your efficiency can increase to over 90%, meaning significantly less energy is being wasted. This would make a huge difference to your annual budget and heating bills and also lower your carbon footprint.

How do I find out if I’m entitled to a free boiler?

Finding out if you are eligible for a free boiler grant through the ECO scheme is easy. Simply input your postcode and confirm the required details. From there we will be able to confirm whether or not you qualify for the grant.

Keep in mind that even if you are not eligible, you may still be entitled to a subsidized boiler, so it is still important that you apply. A subsidized boiler would still be a great financial benefit in terms of the savings you will make in the long run with a fully efficient boiler.