Heat pump grant for flats
Owning a flat does not block the grant. Space, permissions and the type of heat pump decide whether a quote is real.
Key takeaways
- The scheme does not publish a smaller flat grant.
- You need to own the property, or be the landlord.
- Leasehold consent is a practical hurdle, not a figure we can check from here.
The rules
Nothing on the values notice creates a separate amount for a flat. If the other rules are met, an air-to-water or ground source system is £7,500, or £9,000 where oil or LPG rules apply, and air-to-air is £2,500. Many flats are on mains gas, so £7,500 is the common air-to-water figure.
Ofgem’s guidance is about the property and the owner, not about detached houses only. A leasehold flat is still a property. You have to be able to own the heat pump at the end.
What usually gets in the way
Outdoor units need a place and, in many blocks, permission from the freeholder or the other leaseholders. Listed buildings and conservation areas can need planning consent. Energy Saving Trust says most heat pump installations are permitted development, with exceptions, and that listed buildings and conservation areas should be checked with the local planning authority. That is as far as this page goes. We have not written a listed-building guide.
If the only workable machine is air-to-air, budget for the £2,500 grant, not £7,500.
Using the checker
Choose flat in the eligibility checker. The result keeps the grant amount and adds a note that the installer has to be able to fit the system. It will not say a flat is refused just because it is a flat.
Tenants in a flat should use the tenant outcome. The landlord applies.
Sources
- Ofgem: Boiler Upgrade Scheme for property owners
- Ofgem: Boiler Upgrade Scheme for installers
- Ofgem: Boiler Upgrade Scheme property owner guidance (April 2026)
- GOV.UK: Notice of approved grant categories and values (updated 29 September 2026)
- GOV.UK: Apply for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme — what you can get
- GOV.UK: Apply for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme
Reviewed by
UK Heat Pump & Funding Specialist
MCIBSE and MCS certified retrofit specialist. Director of Thomson and Sons Low Carbon Consulting Firm Ltd, specialising in heat pump retrofits since 2005.