Government Backed Scheme | Free Boiler Grants
If you live in Shropshire and your boiler is more than 20 years old, unreliable, or costing too much to run, you may qualify for a fully funded A rated boiler replacement through the ECO4 Free Boiler Grant. Homeowners and tenants across the county are now receiving free upgrades through this government backed scheme, and thousands more may still be eligible.
Free Energy Savings has supported households across both rural and semi rural areas and understands the challenges Shropshire residents face, especially in colder weather. Families often tell us they have been putting off replacing their old boiler because of the cost or because they assume they will not qualify. ECO4 makes the upgrade possible at no cost for eligible homes.
If your boiler is 20 years old or older, your Shropshire home may be eligible for a fully funded upgrade through the ECO4 scheme. It only takes a minute to check.
You do not need to be receiving benefits to qualify. ECO4 has three qualification routes. The Health Route, the Low Income Route, and the Benefit Route. Most Shropshire households qualify through the first two routes because of rural housing conditions and older heating systems.
Your current boiler should be at least 20 years old, inefficient, or be a non condensing model.
Let’s go through each qualification route clearly.
Households can qualify if someone in the home has a health condition affected by cold or damp conditions. Both Shropshire Council support LA Flex, which allows more flexible qualification criteria for vulnerable residents, rural households, and properties with low energy performance.
Common qualifying health conditions include:
Local authorities may approve applications based on:
This route is common in older homes across Oswestry, Ludlow, Market Drayton, Wem, Ellesmere, Bridgnorth, Newport, and Shrewsbury. Many rural households share similar experiences. During surveys, people often mention they turn the heating on early just to take the edge off the cold, yet the home still feels chilly. One family in Wem said their stone cottage dropped to uncomfortable temperatures within an hour of the heating turning off.
If someone in your household struggles with the cold, there is a strong chance you qualify even without benefits.
The Low Income Route is ideal for households who are not receiving benefits but are still struggling with heating costs. Many Shropshire homes have lower EPC ratings, which means they lose heat faster and cost more to warm.
Typical qualification factors include:
This route is extremely common across the county because Shropshire contains a large number of homes built before the 1980s. Properties across Oswestry, Bridgnorth, Market Drayton, Shrewsbury, Ludlow, and rural villages may qualify based on the combination of low EPC ratings and an older boiler.
A homeowner in Bridgnorth recently applied through this route. Their boiler was 21 years old and struggled to heat the home efficiently. They assumed they would not qualify because they were working full time. Once they applied, they were approved due to their EPC rating and boiler condition. After installation, they mentioned the heating felt more reliable and warmed the home far faster than before.
Many rural Shropshire households qualify through the Low Income Route alone. Benefits are not required.
If someone in the home receives one of the following, qualification is often straightforward:
Private tenants may also qualify if the landlord approves the upgrade.
Whether through health, income, or benefits, thousands of Shropshire households qualify under ECO4, especially those with older heating systems, low EPC ratings, or rural homes with high heating demand.
If your boiler is more than 20 years old, there is a strong chance your home qualifies for a fully funded replacement.
The Free Boiler Grant is provided under ECO4, the latest phase of the UK Government’s Energy Company Obligation. ECO4 runs until 2026 and is designed to help households reduce heating costs, improve home energy efficiency, and replace outdated, unsafe, or high waste boilers. The scheme is paid for by energy suppliers, not by homeowners.
For Shropshire residents, this means the full cost of replacing your old boiler is covered. There are no fees, no repayment plans, no contracts, and no hidden charges. The grant includes the home survey, supply of the new boiler, installation, labour costs, and Gas Safe certification.
ECO4 targets homes that have:
Older non condensing boilers typically run at around 60 to 70 percent efficiency. A modern A rated boiler operates at around 90 to 94 percent. That difference can reduce heating bills by an estimated £300 to £400 per year.
Shropshire’s housing makes the county a strong candidate for ECO4 support. Many homes in Ludlow, Bridgnorth, Wem, Shrewsbury, Oswestry, Ellesmere, Whitchurch, and rural villages still rely on older boilers that struggle to keep up during winter. Properties with thick stone walls or drafty layouts often need a more efficient system to maintain comfortable temperatures.
The Shropshire Free Boiler Grant covers every part of the upgrade at no cost for qualifying households.
Shropshire has a significant number of older and rural properties that lose heat quickly and require more energy to keep warm. Many homes were built long before modern insulation guidelines. This includes stone cottages, older terraces, farm houses, and mid century semis. These homes are common in areas like Oswestry, Shrewsbury, Ludlow, Wem, Bridgnorth, Ellesmere, Newport, Market Drayton, and smaller villages throughout the county.
Rural homes tend to be harder to heat. Thick stone walls can hold damp and lose heat rapidly. Older windows or draughty layouts can also make it difficult for older boilers to maintain stable temperatures. This is a major reason why fuel poverty is more common in rural parts of Shropshire compared to more densely populated regions.
Winter temperatures drop quickly in the countryside, and homes with older heating systems often struggle to keep up. Some households tell us they rely on extra heaters or keep the heating running longer than they would like. ECO4 aims to address these issues by replacing outdated boilers with modern systems that can heat homes more efficiently.
One homeowner near Ludlow mentioned that their home always felt cold in the evening, even after hours of heating. Their boiler was more than 20 years old and had been repaired several times. After upgrading through ECO4, they said the home stayed warm for longer and felt noticeably more comfortable.
Shropshire’s older, rural, and hard to heat homes are exactly what ECO4 funding was created for.
Free Energy Savings is a fully accredited ECO4 partner that has supported thousands of households across the country. We specialise in working with rural and semi rural homes, making us a good fit for Shropshire’s housing profile. Many of the properties we assess have older boilers, complex pipework layouts, or limited insulation. Our team understands how to handle these older systems safely and efficiently.
We aim to make the process simple and stress free. You complete a quick eligibility check and we handle everything from there. There are no complicated forms and no pressure at any point. Everything is explained in clear, down to earth language.
All installations are completed by trusted Gas Safe engineers who operate across Shropshire including Shrewsbury, Oswestry, Ludlow, Wem, Bridgnorth, Whitchurch, Market Drayton, and nearby rural areas. Many residents tell us they appreciate having local installers who understand the unique challenges of rural properties.
A resident near Church Stretton recently shared that she had been worried about her boiler for years but thought replacing it would be too expensive. Once she applied through ECO4, she was approved due to the age of her boiler and the home’s low EPC rating. The installation happened within a week. She said the home felt warmer and more stable than it had in years.
Our mission is to make the ECO4 process as clear and reassuring as possible for every Shropshire household. We handle the paperwork, the survey, the installation, and all communication so you do not have to worry about any stage of the process.
The ECO4 process is simple and includes four main steps.
You start by completing a short form with basic details about your boiler, home, and circumstances. This takes less than a minute and does not require any commitment.
We assess several factors to determine if your home qualifies. This includes:
If you are unsure about your EPC rating, we can check it or arrange a new assessment if required.
A certified surveyor visits your home to assess:
This part is especially important for rural homes where access, pipework, or boiler placement may need careful planning. Surveys typically take 20 to 40 minutes.
If your home qualifies and the survey is approved, installation is arranged. This includes:
Installations usually take one day. Everything is fully funded if your home qualifies.
We cover all towns, villages, and rural areas across Shropshire. This includes:
No matter how rural your location is, we can arrange surveys and installations promptly.
Upgrading an older boiler through ECO4 provides immediate and long term benefits, especially for rural Shropshire homes that struggle with heat retention.
Key benefits include:
Rural cottages and older terraces in areas like Ludlow, Oswestry, and Shrewsbury often suffer from cold spots. Once a modern A rated boiler is installed, homeowners often notice that the heating comes on faster and lasts longer. A family near Market Drayton recently mentioned that evenings felt far more comfortable after their upgrade. They no longer needed to rely on extra heaters to warm individual rooms.
Replacing an older boiler improves comfort, lowers costs, and provides peace of mind during colder seasons.
If your boiler is more than 20 years old or your home struggles to stay warm, you may qualify for a fully funded A rated boiler replacement through ECO4. The eligibility check is quick, free, and without obligation. Many Shropshire homes qualify 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 gas boiler installed by a Gas Safe registered engineer. The exact model depends on your home layout and needs.
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.
You may qualify through the Health Route, Low Income Route, or Benefit Route. Your boiler must be 20 years old or older or be a non condensing model. Many rural homes qualify due to their low EPC ratings and high heating demand.
No. Many households qualify through the Health or Low Income Route. Shropshire Council support LA Flex, which offers additional flexibility.
Your boiler should be 20 years old or older or be a non condensing model. The surveyor can confirm the age if you are unsure.
Yes. ECO4 covers the full cost of the survey, installation, labour, and certification. There are no hidden fees or repayments.
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…
