Government Backed Scheme | Free Boiler Grants
Homeowners in Wigan may qualify for a £7,500 government grant toward the cost of replacing their heating system with an air source heat pump. The grant is available through the UK government’s Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) and is aimed at households currently relying on gas, oil, or LPG boilers, helping to make the switch to low-carbon heating significantly more affordable.
The UK government has been pushing for a shift away from fossil fuel heating, with air source heat pumps one of the main low-carbon alternatives being actively supported. The Boiler Upgrade Scheme provides a £7,500 grant to help reduce the upfront cost of making that transition.
Free Energy Savings helps Wigan homeowners understand what the scheme involves, check whether their property is likely to qualify, and connect with MCS-certified installers who can carry out the work.
If you own a home in Wigan and are considering your heating options, checking eligibility is a simple starting point and takes only a few minutes.
Fill out the form below to take advantage of our the £7,500 Air Source Heat Pump Grant offer.
The eligibility requirements for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme are clear and cover a broad range of property types. Many Wigan homeowners will find they already meet the criteria, or can do so with a small amount of preparation.
The property must be owner-occupied, privately owned, or a self-build home. Landlords can also apply for the grant on properties they own and rent out, provided the other eligibility conditions are met.
To be eligible, the property needs a valid Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) with no outstanding recommendations for loft or cavity wall insulation. If the EPC does flag insulation improvements as needed, those will generally have to be completed before the heat pump installation can go ahead under the scheme. The property also needs to be physically suitable for a heat pump system, which the installer will confirm during their assessment visit.
Older Wigan properties, particularly those built before the 1970s, sometimes need insulation work before they are fully ready. This is a common situation and does not usually mean a significant delay to the process.
The BUS grant is specifically designed to replace fossil fuel and older heating systems. Systems eligible for replacement under the scheme include:
Gas central heating is the dominant system across most of Wigan’s housing stock, which means a large number of local homeowners are well placed on this particular requirement.
If your EPC lists loft insulation or cavity wall insulation as recommendations, those upgrades will typically need to be in place before a heat pump can be installed under the BUS. Many older properties across Wigan, Hindley, Ashton-in-Makerfield, and the surrounding area were built before modern energy efficiency standards and may need some improvement work first. Free Energy Savings can help you understand what your EPC says and identify whether any insulation support might be available alongside the heat pump grant.
Common qualifying homes include semi-detached houses, detached properties, bungalows, and larger terraced houses with enough outdoor space for a heat pump unit. New-build homes are not eligible for the scheme, as the BUS is focused on upgrading existing housing stock rather than supporting properties already built to current efficiency standards.
A number of Wigan homeowners qualify without being fully aware of it. If your home currently runs on gas, oil, or LPG and you own the property, running through a quick eligibility check costs nothing and takes very little time.
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme is a UK government programme designed to accelerate the move toward low-carbon home heating across England and Wales. It provides a £7,500 grant toward the installation of an air source heat pump, with the specific aim of replacing fossil fuel heating systems and cutting the carbon emissions produced by residential properties.
The grant is not a loan and does not need to be repaid. Your MCS-certified installer applies for it on your behalf, and the £7,500 is deducted from the installation cost before you pay the remaining balance. The scheme has been running since 2022 and is currently available until 2028.
Air source heat pumps work by extracting heat from the outdoor air, compressing it to a higher temperature, and using it to warm the water circulating through your heating system and hot water cylinder. The process works reliably throughout the year, including during cold spells, and the technology is well established across Northern Europe where winters are considerably harsher than anything Greater Manchester typically sees.
The efficiency difference compared to a conventional gas boiler is significant and worth understanding. A standard gas boiler runs at around 85 to 90% efficiency. An air source heat pump can reach 300 to 400% efficiency, producing three to four units of heat for every single unit of electricity it uses. That gap is one of the main reasons the government has placed heat pumps at the centre of its long-term heating strategy.
A typical installation costs between £10,000 and £13,000 before the grant. After the £7,500 BUS grant is applied, the remaining cost to the homeowner drops considerably, making the switch far more practical for many Wigan households than the full installation figure might suggest.
Wigan’s housing stock carries the marks of its industrial past. The borough grew significantly during the 19th and early 20th centuries, when coal mining and related industries drew workers into the area and created demand for large volumes of residential housing. Streets of terraced homes were built quickly to meet that demand, and much of that housing remains in everyday use today.
Victorian terraces are concentrated in Ince, Pemberton, and Scholes, areas that sit close to the town centre and retain much of their original residential character. Early 20th-century homes make up a large part of Hindley and Ashton-in-Makerfield. The post-war period brought more suburban development to Standish, Orrell, and Golborne, with a different style of housing but the same reliance on gas central heating that runs through the borough as a whole.
That dependence on gas is the starting point for a lot of BUS eligibility conversations. Many Wigan properties have been running on the same basic heating setup for decades, with boilers that have gradually become less efficient and more expensive to maintain. Replacing a worn-out gas boiler with another gas model is one option, but it does not address what is coming down the line in terms of energy policy and regulation.
The UK government has made clear that gas boiler installations will be phased out over the coming years. For Wigan homeowners, upgrading now through the Boiler Upgrade Scheme means accessing the £7,500 grant while it is available, rather than facing a forced transition later without the same financial support. Heat pumps perform best in well-insulated properties, and many homes across Ince, Pemberton, Scholes, Hindley, and Ashton-in-Makerfield can reach that standard with relatively straightforward improvements.
Government grant schemes can feel complicated to navigate from the outside. The Boiler Upgrade Scheme involves eligibility checks, EPC requirements, installer assessments, and a grant application process, and for many homeowners it is not immediately clear where to begin or who to trust.
Free Energy Savings is a specialist in government heating grants. The team works with homeowners across Greater Manchester and the surrounding areas to explain the scheme clearly, assess whether a property is a realistic candidate, and connect residents with MCS-certified installers who can carry out the full assessment and installation.
Choosing to work with Free Energy Savings means:
The team regularly works with homeowners across Wigan and the wider area, including Bolton, Leigh, Chorley, and Warrington. Whether your property is a Victorian terrace in Scholes or a post-war semi in Standish, the process starts in the same place and is more straightforward than most people expect.
Checking eligibility is free and comes with no obligation to proceed. Most homeowners have a clear picture of where they stand after the initial review, usually within a short time of getting in touch.
The route from initial enquiry to completed installation is more straightforward than it might appear. Here is how it typically works.
You provide some basic details about your property: its type, your current heating system, and your location. The whole thing takes less than a minute and gives us enough to carry out an initial eligibility review.
We look at your ownership status, EPC rating, current heating system, and overall property suitability. This step establishes whether the Boiler Upgrade Scheme is likely to apply to your home and identifies anything that may need to be addressed first, such as outstanding insulation recommendations on your EPC certificate.
If your property looks like a suitable candidate, an MCS-certified installer will visit to carry out a full site assessment. They will check the right heat pump size for your home, where the outdoor unit can be positioned, insulation levels, hot water cylinder requirements, and how the system will integrate with your existing pipework and radiators.
The installer submits the Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant application on your behalf. You do not need to deal with any government paperwork directly. The £7,500 is applied to your installation cost, and you pay the remaining balance once the work has been completed.
Once the grant is approved, the heat pump is installed, commissioned, and fully tested. Your heating and hot water are handed over in working order, with a warranty provided. Most installations across the types of property found in Wigan are completed within one to three days, and the disruption during that time is generally less than homeowners anticipate.
Free Energy Savings and our network of MCS-certified installers cover Wigan and the surrounding Greater Manchester area. Whether your property is in the town centre, one of the established residential neighbourhoods, or a community further out across the borough, we can help you find out whether the heat pump grant is available for your home.
Areas we regularly cover include:
We also cover the surrounding parts of Greater Manchester and the areas bordering Lancashire and Cheshire. Our installers are experienced with the range of property types across Wigan, from tightly packed terraced streets near the town centre to the more spacious post-war housing in Standish and Orrell, and can advise on the most suitable heat pump configuration for your specific home.
If you are unsure whether your area is covered, an initial enquiry is the quickest way to find out. Most Wigan postcodes fall well within our service area.
Switching to an air source heat pump brings advantages that go beyond the upfront grant. For many Wigan homeowners, both the environmental and the practical case for making the switch are worth thinking through carefully.
Heat pumps produce significantly fewer carbon emissions than gas or oil boilers. As the UK electricity grid continues to move toward renewable sources, the carbon footprint of running a heat pump will fall further over time. For households in Wigan looking to reduce their home’s environmental impact, replacing a gas boiler with a heat pump is one of the most meaningful changes they can make.
Because heat pumps operate at far higher efficiency levels than conventional boilers, many households find their heating costs reduce over the long term. The savings tend to be most noticeable in well-insulated properties with a system that has been sized correctly for the home. Using smart heating controls alongside the heat pump, and opting for a renewable electricity tariff where available, can improve the financial picture further. Running costs are not identical across all properties, but for a number of Wigan residents the long-term comparison with gas is a positive one.
Installing a heat pump, particularly in combination with insulation improvements, can raise a property’s EPC rating. A stronger EPC adds value to a home and makes it more appealing to potential buyers or tenants. For landlords across the Wigan area, an improved rating also provides some protection against the tightening minimum energy efficiency standards that apply to rental properties, which are expected to become more demanding in the years ahead.
Switching to electric heating removes your household’s dependence on the gas network. For Wigan residents on mains gas, that means no longer being exposed to the wholesale gas price volatility that has caused considerable disruption to household budgets over recent years. For any properties still on oil or LPG, the benefits are equally direct: no deliveries, no storage requirements, and no exposure to supply-driven price movements.
The government’s long-term direction on home heating is settled. Gas boiler regulations are tightening, new installations are being phased out in certain contexts, and the plan to move homes away from fossil fuel heating is not going to reverse. Installing a heat pump now, with the £7,500 BUS grant in place to reduce the upfront cost, means Wigan homeowners are ahead of that transition rather than having to respond to it later under potentially less favourable conditions.
To start your application process you can fill in our application form above. We will then get in touch to check your eligibility and move your application forward.
The £7,500 grant is provided through the UK government’s Boiler Upgrade Scheme. It is a one-off payment applied directly to the cost of installing an air source heat pump and does not need to be repaid. Your MCS-certified installer applies for the grant on your behalf, and the £7,500 is deducted from the installation cost before you pay the remaining balance. The scheme is open to eligible homeowners across England and Wales and runs until 2028.
To qualify, you need to own a property in England or Wales that currently runs on a gas, oil, LPG, or electric storage heating system. The property must have a valid EPC with no outstanding insulation recommendations, or those recommendations must be completed before installation proceeds. New-build homes are excluded. Landlords can apply for rental properties they own. In Wigan, common qualifying homes include semi-detached houses, detached properties, bungalows, and larger terraced houses with sufficient outdoor space for a heat pump unit.
Before the grant, a typical air source heat pump installation in a property of the kind common across Wigan costs between £10,000 and £13,000. After the £7,500 BUS grant is applied, the remaining cost to the homeowner is usually between £2,500 and £5,500. The precise figure depends on the size of the property, the system required, and whether any additional work is needed such as a new hot water cylinder or insulation improvements. Your installer will provide a detailed quote following the site assessment.
Yes. Modern air source heat pumps are designed to extract usable heat from outdoor air down to around minus 15 to 20 degrees Celsius, well below the temperatures Wigan typically experiences even in the coldest months. The technology has been the heating standard in much of Scandinavia and Northern Europe for many years, in conditions significantly harsher than Greater Manchester. A properly sized and installed system will heat your home reliably throughout the year. Insulation plays an important role in how well the system performs, which is one reason the BUS requires EPC recommendations to be addressed before installation.
Most air source heat pump installations are completed within one to three days. The precise timeline depends on the property size, pipework complexity, and whether additional work is required such as fitting a new hot water cylinder or adjusting the radiator system. Your installer will give you a clear timeframe before work begins. For most Wigan homeowners, the actual installation is less disruptive and quicker than they expected, and the handover process is straightforward once the system has been commissioned and tested.
In the vast majority of cases, no. Installing an air source heat pump in England is covered by permitted development rights, so planning permission is not required. The exceptions include listed buildings, properties within conservation areas, and certain flats or leasehold arrangements where additional restrictions may apply. Your installer will confirm the position for your specific address during the assessment visit, well before any work is committed to or costs are incurred.
Yes. Landlords are eligible to apply for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme on properties they own and rent out. The same eligibility criteria apply as for owner-occupiers: the property must have a valid EPC, meet insulation requirements, and currently use a fossil fuel or older heating system. New-build rental properties are not eligible. The MCS-certified installer handles the grant application process, so landlords do not need to submit paperwork to the government directly.
That depends on what your current EPC shows. If loft insulation or cavity wall insulation is listed as a recommendation on your certificate, those improvements will typically need to be completed before the heat pump installation can proceed under the BUS. Many older properties across Wigan, Ince, Hindley, and Ashton-in-Makerfield fall into this category, as they predate modern insulation standards. It is common and does not have to mean a long delay. Free Energy Savings can help you understand your EPC and explore whether any insulation support is available to you.
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme is specifically designed to replace fossil fuel and older heating systems with low-carbon alternatives. Eligible systems for replacement include gas boilers, oil boilers, LPG boilers, and electric storage heaters. Homes already using low-carbon heating and new-build properties are not covered by the scheme. If your Wigan home currently runs on any of the eligible systems and you own the property, it is worth checking eligibility. Many households across the borough meet the basic requirements without being aware of it.
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