New — cash-flow forecasting, snagging lists & variation tracking are live. See what's new →

Guide · England & Wales

Boiler Upgrade Scheme on a self-build: what to track

The Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) can take thousands off a heat-pump install on an eligible property in England or Wales. On a self-build the claim is still installer-led — your job is to know the grant value, the dates, and how the discount shows on the quote. This page is informational public-scheme hygiene, not grant advice.

Not grant or tax advice. Eligibility, technologies and deadlines change. Always follow Ofgem: Boiler Upgrade Scheme — property owners and confirm details with your MCS installer before you commit.

Try UK Self-Build sandboxUK market overview

Grant values (Ofgem, public facts)

According to Ofgem's property-owners page, an MCS-certified installer can claim on your behalf:

  • £7,500 off the cost and installation of an air-to-water or ground source heat pump (including water source heat pumps).
  • £9,000 off air-to-water or ground source heat pumps for eligible off-gas grid properties replacing oil or LPG — available for applications properly made from 21 July 2026 until 31 March 2027.

BUS is open in England and Wales only. Other grant amounts exist for air-to-air heat pumps and biomass in limited cases — see Ofgem for the live list. This guide focuses on the standard heat-pump path most self-builds discuss.

How the claim actually works

BUS is installer-led. You do not apply to Ofgem yourself. Your chosen MCS-certified installer makes the voucher application, you confirm consent when Ofgem contacts you, and the grant value should appear as an upfront discount on the installer's quote. After installation they redeem the voucher with Ofgem.

New-build properties are generally outside the scheme, with a documented exception for certain self-builds (built mainly with the first owner's labour or resources, never owned by a business, and not an excluded development). Your installer and the live Ofgem guidance decide eligibility — not this page.

If the discount is missing from the quote, ask the installer before you sign — the scheme expects the full grant value as an upfront reduction, not a vague “we’ll sort the grant later”.

What to track on the self-build

Treat BUS like any other large funding line on the job: amount, owner, and dates — so cashflow and the heat-pump package stay honest.

Expected grant amount

Standard heat-pump voucher value versus whether your installer is applying under the off-gas oil/LPG uplift window. Store the figure your MCS installer quotes as the upfront discount.

Application and voucher dates

Note when the installer applied and when you consented. Ofgem timelines (including installation windows after approval) sit with the installer and the live guidance — keep the dates on the job so nothing slips unnoticed.

Off-gas uplift deadline

If you are aiming at the £9,000 uplift, the public window for properly made applications is 21 July 2026 to 31 March 2027. Treat that as a hard planning date on the programme, not a soft reminder.

Installer and MCS context

Keep the chosen MCS-certified installer against the heat-pump cost line. BUS is installer-led; you cannot apply yourself.

Where ConstructionPro.io fits

ConstructionPro.io is a live-build ledger for budget, invoices, quotes, cash flow and programme. For BUS on a UK self-build it can help you:

  • Record the expected BUS amount as a funding line against the heat-pump package.
  • Put the uplift or voucher deadline on the programme so it sits next to install dates.
  • Keep the installer’s quote and the discounted invoice on the same job as the rest of the build costs.

We do not submit the BUS claim, talk to Ofgem for you, certify MCS installers, or guarantee eligibility. The MCS installer applies; the grant comes off their invoice. ConstructionPro tracks the funding line and deadline on your ledger — that is the product boundary.

We do not claim to match every UK grant. Public scheme facts come from Ofgem; your installer confirms what applies to your property.

Separate from VAT reclaim

  • BUS discount on the heat-pump quote: a government grant applied by the installer — not the same as reclaiming VAT on building materials.
  • Invoice VAT fields (net / VAT / gross): ledger hygiene for bills you pay — see Record net, VAT and gross on an invoice.
  • DIY Housebuilders VAT reclaim (VAT431NB): a different HMRC route at completion — see DIY Housebuilders VAT reclaim guide. We do not file that claim either.

Source of truth for BUS: Ofgem — Boiler Upgrade Scheme property owners.

Try a UK Self-Build sandbox

Disposable demo with a house ledger — funding lines, programme dates and invoices. Opens with the Self-Build persona. We do not submit your BUS claim.

Try Self-Build sandboxStart trial · UK market