Government Backed Scheme | Free Boiler Grants
If you live in Derbyshire and your boiler is more than 20 years old, unreliable, or costing too much to run, you may be eligible for a fully funded A rated boiler replacement through the ECO4 Free Boiler Grant. The scheme is backed by the UK Government and funded by energy suppliers, meaning eligible households pay nothing for their new boiler, the installation, or the survey.
Free Energy Savings is a trusted ECO4 partner supporting households across Derbyshire in checking eligibility, arranging surveys, and managing the installation. Many families, pensioners, and rural households say they appreciate having someone explain everything in plain English rather than worrying about whether the scheme is genuine.
If your boiler is more than 20 years old, your Derbyshire home may qualify for a fully funded boiler upgrade.
You do not need to be on benefits to qualify. ECO4 has three qualification routes. The Health Route, the Low Income Route, and the Benefit Route.
Your boiler must be at least 20 years old or be a non condensing system.
Let’s look at each route clearly.
Households qualify when someone has a health condition that becomes worse in cold or damp conditions. Derbyshire County Council and district councils support LA Flex, a version of the scheme that allows more residents to qualify even without receiving benefits.
Health conditions often include:
This route is common in areas like:
Many Derbyshire homes are naturally harder to heat due to their age or construction, especially stone cottages or older terraces. Families often mention that certain rooms stay cold no matter how long the heating is on. A homeowner in Wirksworth recently told us that their home lost heat quickly once the boiler turned off. Their older boiler triggered asthma flare ups during winter. They qualified under the Health Route and said the difference was immediate once the new system was installed.
The Health Route is one of the most flexible qualifying options, especially for rural or older homes.
This route allows households to qualify even without benefits. It is for those who struggle with heating costs due to low income, high gas usage, or poor home efficiency.
Qualification indicators include:
Many Derbyshire properties fall into this category. Homes in Amber Valley, Derbyshire Dales, High Peak, Bolsover, and rural villages often have higher heating demand due to colder weather and older structures.
A homeowner in Alfreton recently qualified through this route. Their boiler was more than 21 years old and needed repairs every winter. They assumed they would not qualify because they were working full time. Their EPC rating and boiler age made them eligible. After installation, they mentioned that the home warmed far faster and stayed warm longer than before.
Thousands of households across Derbyshire qualify through the Low Income Route alone.
This is the simplest route. If someone in the home receives one of the following, qualification is often straightforward:
Private tenants may qualify with landlord approval.
Derbyshire has a large rural and older housing stock. Many homes have boilers that are two decades old or more and EPC ratings that fall below modern standards. Most households qualify through at least one of the three routes.
If your boiler is over 20 years old, there is a strong chance your home is eligible.
The Free Boiler Grant is part of ECO4, the UK Government’s Energy Company Obligation. ECO4 runs until 2026 and supports vulnerable, low income, or energy inefficient households by replacing outdated boilers with modern A rated systems. ECO4 is funded by energy suppliers rather than homeowners, which is why the upgrade is free for eligible households.
For Derbyshire residents, ECO4 covers:
There are no repayments, no contracts, and no hidden fees.
ECO4 is designed to replace:
Old boilers often run at 60 to 70 percent efficiency, meaning a large portion of the heat is lost. Modern A rated boilers operate at around 90 to 94 percent efficiency. That difference can save around £300 to £400 per year based on average usage.
Derbyshire is an ideal region for ECO4 support. Large numbers of homes in Bolsover, High Peak, Derbyshire Dales, Amber Valley, Erewash, and South Derbyshire were built before insulation standards improved. These homes often have solid walls, large open layouts, or draughty structures that make heating more expensive.
The Derbyshire Free Boiler Grant covers everything from survey to installation. If your home qualifies, the upgrade is completely free.
Derbyshire’s housing landscape is varied, but much of it is older and harder to heat. Many homes in the Peak District, Derbyshire Dales, High Peak, Bolsover, Amber Valley, and rural edge villages were built long before insulation standards improved. Thick stone walls, solid structures, and older layouts can make heating inefficient, especially when paired with a 20 to 30 year old boiler.
Cold winters in Derbyshire place additional pressure on homes. Areas like Buxton, Glossop, Hope Valley, Castleton, Chapel en le Frith, and Eyam are known for lower temperatures and longer heating periods. Homes here need efficient boilers to stay warm affordably.
Many ex mining communities in Bolsover, Clay Cross, Shirebrook, and Creswell still rely on older boilers. These properties tend to lose heat quickly and often have lower EPC ratings. ECO4 funding helps improve comfort, reduce fuel poverty, and make heating costs more manageable.
A family in Matlock recently told us that their older stone built home struggled to stay warm even with the heating on for hours. After upgrading to an A rated boiler through ECO4, they noticed the home stayed warm for much longer and required far less energy.
Derbyshire’s mix of rural, ageing, and hard to heat homes makes the region a strong focus for ECO4 support.
Free Energy Savings is a trusted ECO4 partner with experience helping households across Derbyshire upgrade their heating systems at no cost. We understand the county’s varied housing stock, from Peak District stone cottages to post war semis in Swadlincote and Victorian terraces in Chesterfield and Ilkeston.
We know that government schemes can feel confusing. That is why we explain everything in simple, direct language. You complete a short eligibility check and we handle the rest. There are no complicated forms and no pressure to proceed. Our team keeps you informed at every stage.
We work with fully qualified Gas Safe engineers covering all parts of Derbyshire including Chesterfield, Ilkeston, Alfreton, Swadlincote, Buxton, Matlock, and rural surrounding villages. Many households say they feel reassured knowing that certified local installers are handling their heating upgrade.
A family in Belper recently mentioned that they had been putting off replacing their boiler due to cost. Their 22 year old system was noisy and inefficient. Once they applied, they qualified under the Low Income Route and had a new boiler installed within a week. They said their home felt much more comfortable almost immediately.
We make the ECO4 process simple, transparent, and stress free for Derbyshire residents.
The ECO4 boiler upgrade process includes four simple steps.
You start by filling out a short form. It takes less than a minute. There is no obligation and no cost. You simply provide basic information about your boiler and household circumstances.
Our team checks several factors including:
If you are unsure about your EPC rating, we can check it or arrange an assessment.
A qualified surveyor visits your home to assess:
Surveys usually take 40 to 60 minutes and are flexible around your schedule.
If your home qualifies and the survey is approved, we arrange installation through a certified Gas Safe engineer. This includes:
Installations are usually completed in one day. Everything is covered through ECO4 if you qualify.
We cover every town, village, and rural community across Derbyshire County, including:
We cover all rural villages and remote locations too. No matter where you are in Derbyshire County, our installers can reach you.
Upgrading an old boiler in Derbyshire provides immediate and long term benefits, especially for older rural homes that need a more reliable heating system.
Key benefits include:
Derbyshire’s colder climate and rural landscape make these upgrades particularly beneficial. Homes in Buxton, Glossop, Hope Valley, Bakewell, and Matlock often experience more severe winter conditions. With an old boiler, heating these homes can become expensive quickly.
One homeowner in Alfreton recently told us that their old boiler took nearly an hour to heat the home. After upgrading through ECO4, they noticed the heating came on faster, stayed warm longer, and used noticeably less energy.
If your boiler is over 20 years old, upgrading could significantly reduce your heating bills and improve indoor comfort.
Replacing an old boiler improves comfort, reduces energy costs, and protects the home from further heating issues. ECO4 makes this upgrade possible without any financial burden.
If your boiler is more than 20 years old or your home is hard to heat, you may qualify for a fully funded A rated boiler replacement through ECO4. The process is simple, free, and quick. Many Derbyshire households are eligible without realising it.
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.
Yes, ECO4 is a government scheme. Energy companies are obligated to fund the cost and installation of boilers and loft insulation in eligible homes. This service is free for you. The energy companies, like British Gas and EON, cover all costs.
You will receive a modern A rated condensing boiler installed by a Gas Safe registered engineer. The model chosen depends on your home layout and heating needs. Every installation comes with a warranty.
Application approval can take between 6 to 12 weeks. Once approved, the work can be done within a week. It includes the loft insulation and the boiler installation.
Yes, all the installers we connect you with are registered with Gas Safe & Trustmark.
Households qualify through the Health, Low Income, or Benefit Route. Your boiler must be at least 20 years old or be a non condensing system. Many Derbyshire homes qualify because of older heating systems and low EPC ratings.
No. Many households qualify through the Health or Low Income Route without receiving benefits. Derbyshire councils support LA Flex, which expands eligibility.
Your boiler should be at least 20 years old. The surveyor will confirm age and condition.
Yes. ECO4 covers the full cost. There are no repayments, hidden charges, or contracts.
After you submit your form, our team checks your details, reviews qualification routes, and arranges a survey if you look eligible. If approved, we then schedule installation. Everything is handled for you.
Read More Of Our Reviews On Trust Pilot
We’ve had some bad experiences with installers in the past, but Free Energy Savings was a breath of fresh air. They were helpful and patient, answering all of our questions about the ECO4 scheme and making sure we understood how it worked. The installation was done quickly and professionally, and the team was extremely respectful of our home.
We were a bit unsure about how the ECO4 grant worked, but Free Energy Savings made everything so simple. The team explained every detail of the grant and the benefits from a new boiler installation. When it came time for the installation, they arrived right on schedule and worked hard to get everything set up. What impressed me most was the attention to detail….
Free Energy Savings exceeded all of our expectations. From the moment we contacted them, they were responsive and informative. The team helped us through the paperwork for the ECO4 grant, which was a big help since we had no idea where to start. The installation crew was friendly, professional, and fast. It’s been a couple of months now, and we’re already…
