Boiler Grants in Derry / Londonderry (BT47–BT48)What's Available in 2026
Reviewed
Local guide for Derry / Londonderry homeowners · Kinecx Energy (formerly firmus energy) network
ECO4 does not operate in Northern Ireland. If you live in Derry / Londonderry (BT47–BT48), help with heating and insulation for lower-income private households comes through the Affordable Warmth Scheme NI, delivered by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive (NIHE) for the Department for Communities (DfC). The published rule is a gross household income under £23,000, and you must own and live in your home or rent from a private landlord. Apply through the NI Energy Advice Service on 0800 111 4455; Derry City and Strabane District Council (028 7125 3253) can point you to local fuel-poverty help. The separate Boiler Replacement Scheme is closed. Affordable Warmth has approval through March 2028, and the Warm Healthy Homes Fund is planned from April 2027.
Across Northern Ireland: how Affordable Warmth, NIEAS and devolved funding compare to Great Britain is explained in our Northern Ireland boiler grants hub.
NI-specific guides: Support to stay in your own home (nidirect) · NIHE energy-efficiency grants
Start with official NI routes
We signpost Affordable Warmth — ECO4 does not run in NI.
Apply (NIHE)
NI Energy Advice Service
0800 111 4455Freephone · nienergyadvice@nihe.gov.uk · applications since September 2023
NIHE energy-efficiency grantsWe signpost official NI routes only. ECO4 does not run in Northern Ireland. We are not NIHE, DfC or your council.
BT47–BT48
Postcode coverage
Kinecx Energy (formerly firmus energy)
Gas Distribution Network
Affordable Warmth
NIHE / DfC route
£0
Cost to qualifying households
Who qualifies for Affordable Warmth in Derry / Londonderry in 2026?
Affordable Warmth in Derry / Londonderry is for private homes with gross household income under £23,000. Apply through the NI Energy Advice Service (NIHE); your council can help with local fuel-poverty support.
DfC household-income route
Per nidirect's support to stay in your own home page, the Department for Communities sets a gross household income ceiling:
- Gross household income under £23,000
- Owner-occupier or private tenant (with landlord consent)
- Apply via NIEAS 0800 111 4455 (NIHE)
- Social housing (NIHE / housing association) tenants are not covered
Boiler replacement criteria (DfC)
Boiler replacement under Affordable Warmth has additional priority rules on top of the income and tenure tests:
- Boiler replacement under Affordable Warmth is prioritised (per DfC) for households with children under 16, or receiving DLA or PIP, or aged over 65 with a boiler at least 15 years old. These criteria apply on top of the £23,000 income and tenure tests and do not replace them.
Bottom line —If your address is in BT47–BT48, you own or privately rent your home, and your gross household income is under £23,000, call the NI Energy Advice Service on 0800 111 4455 to check Affordable Warmth. Derry City and Strabane District Council (028 7125 3253) can signpost local fuel-poverty help.
Why Derry / Londonderry's stock makes this a high-impact Affordable Warmth city
Derry / Londonderry’s homes fall into a few broad groups. The Cityside (BT48) has older terraces and townhouses in and around the walled city, including Rosemount and the Bogside. These are often solid-walled homes that lose heat quickly, which is why the Department for Communities sets a higher Affordable Warmth limit for solid wall insulation. Creggan, Shantallow, Galliagh, Ballyarnett and Pennyburn are large post-war and later estates built by NIHE. Many homes there are still NIHE-owned, and those tenants are not covered by Affordable Warmth, but homes bought from NIHE and now owner-occupied can be if the household meets the income and tenure tests. The Waterside (BT47) mixes older terraces near the river with newer estates in areas such as Drumahoe, Prehen and New Buildings, while edge-of-city areas such as Culmore, Strathfoyle and Eglinton have more homes off the gas network. Across the city, many lower-income private households still rely on oil or electric storage heating, or on older boilers with poor controls. NIHE decides which measures suit each home.
Sub-areas we cover in Derry / Londonderry
Local landmarks
Bottom line —Derry / Londonderry's stock mix sits squarely inside NIHE's Affordable Warmth catchment — your Technical Officer survey will confirm the right boiler-and-insulation package for your specific property.
Kinecx Energy (formerly firmus energy) covers Derry / Londonderry
Kinecx Energy (formerly firmus energy) is the Gas Distribution Network operator for the Ten Towns natural gas network in Northern Ireland, including Derry / Londonderry, Drumahoe, Eglinton, New Buildings, Prehen and Strathfoyle — that includes every BT47–BT48 postcode. Nearby Strabane (BT82) is on the separate Evolve network. Both are regulated by the Utility Regulator in Northern Ireland, not Ofgem.
If you are thinking about switching from oil or electric heating to gas, check whether gas is available at your address with the network operator. Ask NIEAS how a connection would fit with any Affordable Warmth package. We do not quote connection prices — get them from Kinecx Energy (formerly firmus energy).
Kinecx Energy (formerly firmus energy) network informationBottom line —Check gas availability at your address with Kinecx Energy (formerly firmus energy) before planning a fuel switch. Affordable Warmth packages are decided by NIHE after assessment — ask NIEAS on 0800 111 4455.
Affordable Warmth (NI) in Derry / Londonderry
Affordable Warmth is the Department for Communities' fuel-poverty scheme for private homes in Northern Ireland, delivered by NIHE. Gross household income under £23,000; owner-occupier or private tenant; grant up to £7,500 (£10,000 solid wall). Apply via the NI Energy Advice Service, 0800 111 4455. ECO4 is a Great Britain scheme and does not operate in Northern Ireland.
Affordable Warmth (NI)Bottom line —Affordable Warmth via NIHE is the route for Derry / Londonderry — ECO4 doesn't operate in Northern Ireland at all.
A typical install in BT48 Creggan
Property
Owner-occupied former NIHE mid-terrace, three bedrooms (bought from NIHE)
Existing system
Oil-fired heating with a boiler more than 15 years old and basic controls; one resident over 65; gross household income under £23,000
Measure installed
Called the NI Energy Advice Service (0800 111 4455), then NIHE assessed the home. After written approval, the package considered was a heating upgrade or boiler replacement (meeting DfC’s over-65 and 15-year boiler criteria), better controls and a loft insulation top-up, within the published grant limit.
Outcome
A warmer home that is easier to control. No savings figure is quoted because results vary by home and use. Illustrative only, not a named customer and not a promise of outcome.
Illustrative — based on typical BT47–BT48 installs, not a single named customer.
Bottom line —Illustrative only — outcomes vary by home, measures funded and how you use your heating. NIHE decides the package after assessment; do not start work without written approval.
What Affordable Warmth covers in Derry / Londonderry — and what you might still pay
Covered by Affordable Warmth (£0 to you)
- New A-rated condensing boiler
- Internal pipework and flue
- Programmable controls + TRVs
- New radiators (if existing unfit)
- Safe removal of old system
- Building-control sign-off
- Gas Safe certification
Department for Communities published limits: grant up to £7,500 (up to £10,000 where solid wall insulation is involved). NIHE decides the package after assessment — not a guarantee of the maximum.
Not covered — possible out-of-pocket
- Gas-main connection if property is off-main — paid to Kinecx Energy (formerly firmus energy) (ask the network operator for a quote)
- Cosmetic restoration — chimney capping is included; redecorating the chimney breast is on you
Most Derry / Londonderry addresses are already on the gas main — nothing extra to pay.
Bottom line —If NIHE approves grant aid in writing, scheme-funded work is at no cost to you within the published grant limits. We do not quote typical install costs or bill savings for Derry / Londonderry homes.
How to apply from Derry / Londonderry
Step 1
NI Energy Advice Service
Call 0800 111 4455 or email nienergyadvice@nihe.gov.uk. An energy officer checks whether you look eligible and explains next steps. Since September 2023 applications go to NIHE through this service.
Step 2
NIHE assessment
If you appear eligible, NIHE arranges a property check and decides which measures it can fund. Do not start or book any work until NIHE confirms grant aid in writing.
Step 3
Work after NIHE written approval
Work is carried out under the scheme's arrangements. NIHE will tell you how contractors are appointed.
Prefer to contact Derry City and Strabane District Council directly?
Delivery overseen by NIHE under Department for Communities. Timelines vary — ask NIEAS about current waiting times when you apply.
Bottom line —Timelines vary with demand, measures needed and funding — ask NIEAS on 0800 111 4455 when you apply. Derry City and Strabane District Council (028 7125 3253) can help with local fuel-poverty support but does not replace the NIHE application route.
Questions Derry / Londonderry households ask
Does ECO4 apply in Derry / Londonderry?
No. ECO4 is the Energy Company Obligation, a Great Britain scheme covering England, Scotland and Wales. It does not fund work in Northern Ireland. In Derry / Londonderry (BT47–BT48) the route is the Affordable Warmth Scheme, funded by the Department for Communities and delivered by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive. If anyone offers you a “free ECO4 boiler” at a Derry address, check with the NI Energy Advice Service on 0800 111 4455 first.
What is the Affordable Warmth Scheme NI and who qualifies?
It is the Department for Communities’ fuel-poverty scheme for private homes, delivered by NIHE. You may qualify if you own and live in your home, or rent from a private landlord, and your total gross household income is under £23,000. Social housing tenants are not covered. Boiler replacement under the scheme is prioritised for households with children under 16, or who get DLA or PIP, or who are over 65 with a boiler at least 15 years old.
How do I apply for Affordable Warmth in BT47–BT48?
Call the NI Energy Advice Service on 0800 111 4455 or email nienergyadvice@nihe.gov.uk. Since September 2023 applications go to NIHE through this service rather than through council referrals. If you appear eligible, NIHE assesses your home and decides what it can fund. Do not start any work until NIHE confirms approval in writing. Timelines vary, so ask NIEAS about current waiting times.
Is the NIHE Boiler Replacement Scheme still open?
No. The Department for Communities closed the Boiler Replacement Scheme on 21 September 2023, and applications are no longer accepted. Boiler help for lower-income private households now comes through the Affordable Warmth Scheme, if you meet its income, tenure and boiler criteria.
How much is the Affordable Warmth grant?
The Department for Communities says the scheme offers a grant of up to £7,500, or up to £10,000 where solid wall insulation is needed. These are maximums, not a guaranteed amount. NIHE decides which measures to fund after assessing your home.
What is the Warm Healthy Homes Fund, and what happens after 2027?
The Warm Healthy Homes Fund is the Department for Communities’ planned replacement for Affordable Warmth. It is expected to start in April 2027, and the current Affordable Warmth Scheme has approval until March 2028. If you qualify now, you can apply for Affordable Warmth without waiting. This is separate from Great Britain’s Warm Homes Plan.
I heat my home with oil. Can Affordable Warmth help?
Possibly. Affordable Warmth can fund installing or upgrading heating systems as well as insulation, and boiler replacement for eligible households, whatever fuel you use now. NIHE decides what suits your home. If you are thinking about switching to gas, check whether gas is available at your address first. NIEAS (0800 111 4455) can also tell you about oil buying clubs.
Can Free Boiler Upgrade UK approve my Northern Ireland grant?
No. We are an independent information site. We are not NIHE, the Department for Communities, Derry City and Strabane District Council, or an installer, and we do not process Affordable Warmth applications. To apply, contact the NI Energy Advice Service on 0800 111 4455.
Affordable Warmth terms explained
Skim only what you need — full definitions stay in the page for search and AI citation.
- Affordable Warmth Scheme
- DfC-funded, NIHE-delivered fuel-poverty scheme for private homes in Northern Ireland. Gross household income under £23,000; owner-occupier or private tenant. Grant up to £7,500 (£10,000 where solid wall insulation is needed), per Department for Communities published limits.
- NIHE (Northern Ireland Housing Executive)
- The single statutory housing authority for Northern Ireland. NIHE administers Affordable Warmth on behalf of the Department for Communities.
- DfC (Department for Communities)
- The NI Executive department that funds Affordable Warmth and sets scheme policy and eligibility; NIHE delivers it.
- NIEAS (NI Energy Advice Service)
- The NIHE-run freephone service (0800 111 4455) that handles initial Affordable Warmth enquiries before a Technical Officer survey.
- EPC (Energy Performance Certificate)
- A government-issued A–G energy rating. Affordable Warmth in NI is income-and-property based rather than EPC-banded.
- Gas Safe Register
- The official UK-wide gas-installer register. Every contractor working on gas installations under Affordable Warmth must be Gas Safe registered.
Other cities in this region
Sources cited on this page
nidirect — Support to stay in your own home (heating help)
Affordable Warmth; income under £23,000; apply via NIEAS
nidirect — Energy saving grants in your area
NI Energy Advice and Affordable Warmth overview
DfC — Changes to the Affordable Warmth Scheme (8 Sep 2023)
£23,000 income; NIEAS applications; grant limits and boiler criteria
DfC — Closure of Boiler Replacement Scheme (21 Sep 2023)
BRS closed; applications no longer accepted
DfC — Warm Healthy Homes Fund
Planned from April 2027
DfC — WHHF screening (19 May 2026)
Affordable Warmth business case to March 2028
NIHE — NI Energy Advice: energy efficiency grants
Apply to NIHE via NIEAS; no work before written approval
Derry City and Strabane District Council — Fuel poverty page
Keep Warm Packs; AWS signposted to NIHE / NIEAS
Kinecx Energy (formerly firmus energy) — gas network
Ten Towns network communities
Ofgem — Energy Company Obligation (ECO)
ECO is a Great Britain scheme — cited to show ECO4 does not cover NI
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