Scrap your old boiler and receive £400 for a replacement
Homeowners, private tenants and private landlords are eligible to claim £400 for a new boiler under a Government boiler scrappage scheme.
The Government has announced a new scheme to help households replace old inefficient boilers that are over 15 years old. 125,000 households across England can apply for a voucher worth £400 to help pay towards the cost of replacing old boilers with new, eco-friendly versions.
As well as reducing households CO2 emissions, savings of £235 on average a year can be made on heating bills.
If you have a G-rated boiler that is 15 years old and over, which is still in working condition and is the main means of heating your property then you can apply to the Energy Saving Trust (EST) for a voucher worth £400 to be sent to you.
So what do you need to do?
- Check to see if your boiler is G-rated for energy efficiency – you are likely to have one if it is gas-fired, over 15 years old and has a permanent pilot light. Do not attempt to dismantle your boiler, if the information is not visible from the front then ring your installer or contact the EST on freephone 0800 512 012 for advice.
- Before claiming your voucher from the EST you need to have a quote for a new boiler, including the installation. Once you have secured a competitive quote (ring round several installers to guarantee you get the best value for money) call EST on 0800 512 012 to register and the voucher will be sent roughly ten days later.
- You need to pay for the new boiler and the installation upfront and then send the voucher and invoice for the work to the EST. The £400 will be repaid to you within 25 days. The voucher will be valid for 12 weeks from the date of issue (if the voucher is not used it will be cancelled).
- Anyone aged over 60 can apply regardless of whether their boiler is in working condition or not.
Please note: Installations made before applying for the voucher will not be eligible – so don’t install the new boiler before registering with the EST.
What should you replace your old boiler with?
The vouchers can be redeemed against any gas, oil or liquefied-petroleum gas (LPG) boiler that is A-rated for energy efficiency; those with a passive flue heat recovery device; or any certified biomass boiler. Electric boilers are not eligible.
Look out for other energy efficiency schemes….
If you own your own home or rent it from a private landlord and are on certain benefits or are over 60 you may be eligible for a grant of up to £3,500 under the Governments’ Warm Front Scheme. www.warmfront.co.uk
Also check whether your energy company is offering any discounts or schemes on replacing old boilers. British Gas and npower, for example, are offering similar cash incentives which can be matched with the Government scrappage scheme potentially giving a total of £800 towards replacing a boiler. Do double check what energy provider schemes can be used alongside the Governments as some will mean you are not eligible for the Government scheme.
For more information on the Boiler Scrappage Scheme or to register go to the Energy Savings Trust website at www.est.org.uk or call the advice line on freephone 0800 512 012. |
