Grants & Funding
Heat Pump Grants in Northamptonshire 2026
There has never been more funding for heat pumps. Between the £7,500 BUS grant, ECO4, council schemes and 0% VAT, most Northamptonshire homeowners pay a fraction of the headline price. We check every option for you.
MCS-Certified Installers
Grant eligible installs
£7,500 BUS Grant
Applied to your quote
0% VAT
On qualifying work
Local Engineers
Northamptonshire based
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS): £7,500
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme is the main grant for most homeowners. It pays £7,500 toward an air-to-water air source heat pump, deducted from your installer's quote so you never pay it upfront. To qualify your property needs a valid EPC with no outstanding insulation recommendations, and the work must be carried out by an MCS-certified installer. The scheme is confirmed until 2030, and from July 2026 the grant rises to £9,000 for homes currently heated by oil or LPG. Read our full Boiler Upgrade Scheme guide for the application detail.
ECO4: a free heat pump for eligible households
ECO4 is a fully funded scheme for lower-income and benefit-receiving households. If someone in the home receives a qualifying benefit and the property is rated EPC D or below, ECO4 can cover the entire cost of a heat pump installation. The scheme is extended to December 2026 and runs on a first-come, first-served basis, so there is real urgency to apply. Corby and parts of Northampton with significant social housing see strong ECO4 take-up. Check the detail on our ECO4 eligibility guide.
West Northamptonshire Warm Homes Local Grant
West Northamptonshire Council, covering Northampton, Daventry and Towcester, has allocated £2.6m to a Warm Homes Local Grant aimed at improving energy efficiency in lower-income households. The funding supports insulation and low-carbon heating measures, which can sit alongside a heat pump installation. Eligibility is income and property based rather than benefit based in some cases, so it reaches households that miss out on ECO4.
North Northamptonshire energy grants
North Northamptonshire Council, covering Kettering, Wellingborough, Corby and Rushden, runs an active energy grants and home upgrade programme. Like the West Northamptonshire scheme it focuses on insulation and efficiency improvements that complement a heat pump and improve your EPC, which in turn helps with BUS eligibility.
Great British Insulation Scheme
The Great British Insulation Scheme is open to Northamptonshire homes in council tax bands A to D, with no benefits required. It funds insulation measures such as loft and cavity wall insulation. Improving insulation first is often the smartest move before a heat pump: it lowers your heat demand, reduces the system size you need, and clears any insulation recommendation that would otherwise block your BUS application.
0% VAT on heat pumps
Every qualifying heat pump installation in the UK attracts 0% VAT until at least March 2027. This is automatic, requires no application, and saves a typical household well over £1,000 compared to the standard rate. It stacks with the grants above, not instead of them.
How we put the funding together
The schemes interact in ways that are easy to get wrong. BUS and ECO4 cannot both fund the same heat pump, EPC recommendations can block a grant, and council schemes have their own windows. During your free survey we check your EPC, your eligibility for each scheme, and design the most cost-effective package. Then we handle the applications. Most homeowners end up paying a small fraction of the headline price.
Frequently asked questions
What is the maximum heat pump grant in 2026?
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme gives £7,500 for an air-to-water air source heat pump. From July 2026 homes replacing oil or LPG heating can claim £9,000. Air-to-air heat pumps attract a separate £2,500 grant. Benefit-receiving households may qualify for a fully funded heat pump under ECO4 instead, on top of 0% VAT for everyone.
Can I combine the BUS grant with council funding?
The £7,500 Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant cannot be claimed at the same time as ECO4 for the same heat pump, as both are government funded. However BUS can often be combined with West or North Northamptonshire council insulation and energy efficiency grants that cover other improvements, and 0% VAT applies regardless. We work out the best combination for your situation.
Do I need an EPC to get a grant?
For the Boiler Upgrade Scheme you usually need a valid Energy Performance Certificate with no outstanding recommendations for loft or cavity wall insulation. ECO4 targets homes with an EPC of D or below. We check your EPC during the survey and advise on any insulation needed first.
Who applies for the grant, me or you?
The MCS-certified installer does. They submit the Boiler Upgrade Scheme application on your behalf and deduct the grant from your invoice, so you never pay the full amount upfront. We help coordinate the paperwork.
Related pages
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