First Time Central Heating Grant UK: Get a Free Heating System Installed
By Peter Davies, ECO4 Analyst
Reviewed
If your home has never had central heating, you could qualify for a full system — boiler or heat pump, radiators, pipework and smart controls — installed at no cost to you. This is funded through the government-backed ECO4 scheme, which closes to new applications on 31 December 2026. Eligibility depends on your benefits, income, or your home's EPC rating — not on how many bedrooms you have or what type of house you live in.
ECO4 closes 31 December 2026 · Warm Homes Plan takes over from January 2027 · 7,000+ installations supported
Cost if you qualify
£0
ECO4-funded, zero upfront
ECO4 closes
31 Dec 2026
Ofgem-confirmed deadline
Installations supported
7,000+
Free Boiler Upgrade UK network
Qualifying EPC bands
D–G
gov.uk EPC register
What Is the First Time Central Heating Grant?
The First Time Central Heating Grant (sometimes shortened to FTCH) funds a complete central heating system for homes that have never had one, through the government's ECO4 scheme, regulated by Ofgem on behalf of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ).
It's aimed at homes currently relying on things like electric storage heaters, plug-in electric heaters, gas or LPG room heaters, open fires, or no heating at all. Instead of a single room heater, you get a proper distributed system: a boiler or heat pump connected to radiators throughout the home, with thermostatic controls.
We're an independent eligibility-check and application-assistance service — not the government, not an energy supplier, and not the installer. We check whether you qualify, handle the paperwork, and connect you with a Gas Safe registered installer in your area, at no cost to you.
Free Boiler Upgrade UK is a TrustMark-approved, Gas Safe registered ECO4 installer network operating nationwide across England, Scotland and Wales.
Bottom line —This grant funds a full heating system, not a single appliance, and eligibility is based on your circumstances — benefits, income, or EPC rating — never on your address or property type.
Do I Qualify? Eligibility Criteria
You could be eligible for a First Time Central Heating Grant if you meet all of the following:
No existing central heating
Your home currently has no central heating system, or relies on one of these instead:
- Electric room heaters, fan heaters, or inefficient electric storage heaters
- Gas or LPG room heaters (not connected to a boiler and radiator system)
- A solid fuel fire, open fire, or fire with a back boiler
- No heating at all
Property ownership or tenancy type
- Homeowners — eligible directly
- Private tenants — eligible, with your landlord's permission (we can help with this)
- Private landlords — can apply on a tenant's behalf
Council tenants, housing association tenants, and shared ownership households are not eligible for this specific grant; social housing has its own separate government-funded upgrade programmes. If this applies to you, your council or housing association is the right first point of contact, and we're happy to point you toward the right scheme instead of leaving you stuck.
EPC rating
Your home typically needs an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of D, E, F, or G. Don't know your rating? You can look it up for free using your postcode on the government EPC register or use our EPC Checker below.
Qualifying benefits, or a low-income/vulnerability route
You'll usually need someone in the household receiving one of these benefits:
- Universal Credit
- Pension Credit (Guarantee Credit)
- Income Support
- Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA)
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- Child Tax Credit
- Working Tax Credit
- Housing Benefit
Not on any of these? You may still qualify through your local council's LA Flex scheme, which covers households on a low income (typically under around £31,000 combined) or where someone's health is affected by living in a cold home.
Check LA Flex eligibilityBottom line —You need all four to apply — no existing heating, an eligible tenancy type, an EPC of D-G, and either a qualifying benefit or an LA Flex route. If you're not sure, the 60-second eligibility check will tell you.
What's Included in a First Time Central Heating Grant?
A First Time Central Heating installation is a full, turnkey system — not just a boiler swap.
Equipment
- A-rated gas boiler, or an air source heat pump if your home isn't connected to the mains gas network
- A full network of radiators sized for your home
- Complete pipework installation
- Thermostatic radiator valves and smart heating controls
Service
- A free home survey to assess what your property needs
- Installation by a Gas Safe registered (or MCS-certified, for heat pumps) engineer
- Ongoing support if anything needs adjusting after install
In most cases the grant covers the full cost. Occasionally a household contribution is needed — you won't know this until the free survey has been done, and we'll always tell you upfront before anything is booked.
Gas Boiler or Heat Pump — Which Will I Get?
This depends on whether your home has an existing mains gas supply, as covered in our FAQs below.
| Home connection | What you'll typically get |
|---|---|
| Connected to the mains gas network | A-rated gas boiler and full radiator system, fitted by a Gas Safe registered engineer |
| Not connected to mains gas | Air source heat pump instead, fitted by an MCS-certified engineer |
Bottom line —Every installation is a complete system — boiler or heat pump, radiators, pipework and smart controls — not a single appliance. If a contribution is ever needed, you'll be told before any work is booked, never after.
What Are the Benefits of First Time Central Heating?
Switching from no heating, electric heaters, or solid fuel to a proper central heating system typically means:
- Lower energy bills — the size of the savings depends heavily on what you're switching from. Electric storage heating tends to show the biggest year-on-year drop; the exact figure varies by property size and usage, so we'd rather give you an honest range during your free survey than a single headline number.
- A warmer, more even home — heat distributed through radiators in every room, rather than one or two heated spaces
- Less condensation and damp — a common issue in homes without central heating
- A boost to your EPC rating — which can matter if you ever sell or remortgage
Bottom line —According to National Energy Action, cold homes are linked to around 10,000 excess winter deaths in England and Wales each year — central heating removes one of the biggest drivers of that risk. We won't promise a specific annual bill saving until your free survey confirms it; the real figure depends on your property and what you're switching from.
What If I Don't Qualify?
Not everyone will meet the criteria above — and that's worth knowing before you apply, not after. If you don't qualify for First Time Central Heating specifically, you might still be eligible for:
- Boiler replacement grants — if you already have central heating but it's old or broken
- LA Flex — a broader, council-led eligibility route if you don't receive a qualifying benefit
- The Warm Homes Plan — takes over from ECO4 from January 2027, for anyone who misses the December 2026 cutoff
- Air Source Heat Pump grants — via the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, open to all homeowners regardless of income
Bottom line —Not eligible for First Time Central Heating specifically? You're very likely still covered by one of ECO4's other routes above — the 60-second eligibility check will tell you which one applies.
How Do I Apply for a First Time Central Heating Grant?
Check your eligibility
Answer a few quick questions about your home and circumstances (about 60 seconds).
Free home survey
If you look eligible, we arrange a no-obligation survey to confirm your home's needs and exact entitlement.
Installation
A Gas Safe registered installer fits your new system, working to your schedule.
Apply Sooner Rather Than Later
Because ECO4 closes on 31 December 2026 and funding is allocated on a first-come basis, applying earlier gives more time for the survey-to-installation process to complete before the deadline.
Check Your Eligibility NowBottom line —Only step 1 is on you. Once you look eligible, we handle the survey booking and installer coordination end to end — there's no separate application form to fill in yourself.
First Time Central Heating Grant Glossary: Key Terms Explained
Straightforward definitions for the terms used throughout this page.
- ECO4 (Energy Company Obligation, phase 4)
- The government-backed scheme that funds this grant, regulated by Ofgem on behalf of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ). It closes to new applications on 31 December 2026.
- First Time Central Heating (FTCH)
- The specific ECO4 measure that funds a complete central heating system — boiler or heat pump, radiators, pipework and controls — for a home that has never had one.
- LA Flex (Local Authority Flexible Eligibility)
- A broader, council-led eligibility route for households who don't receive a qualifying benefit but are on a low income (typically under around £31,000 combined) or whose health is affected by living in a cold home.
- EPC (Energy Performance Certificate)
- A government-issued A-G rating of a property's energy efficiency. Most First Time Central Heating applicants need a rating of D, E, F, or G, checkable for free on the government EPC register.
- DESNZ (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
- The UK government department responsible for the ECO4 scheme and its successor, the Warm Homes Plan.
- Ofgem
- The energy regulator that oversees ECO4 on DESNZ's behalf, including the scheme's confirmed 31 December 2026 closing date.
- MCS (Microgeneration Certification Scheme)
- The certification required for engineers installing air source heat pumps — the equivalent of Gas Safe registration for gas boiler work.
- Warm Homes Plan
- The scheme that takes over as the main government funding route for home heating and energy-efficiency upgrades from January 2027, once ECO4 closes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Get answers to common questions about the First Time Central Heating Grant UK.
When does the First Time Central Heating Grant end?
The grant is funded through ECO4, which is scheduled to close to new applications on 31 December 2026, following a nine-month extension confirmed by Ofgem. After that, the Warm Homes Plan takes over as the main funding route from January 2027, though full eligibility details for the new scheme are still being finalised.
Can private tenants apply for the grant?
Yes. Private tenants can apply for a First Time Central Heating Grant, but you'll need your landlord's written permission as part of the application, since the work is carried out on their property.
Can I get the grant if I live in a council or housing association property?
No — council tenants, housing association tenants, and shared ownership households aren't eligible for First Time Central Heating specifically. Social housing has its own separate government-funded upgrade schemes, and your landlord or housing provider is the right contact for those.
Do I need to contribute any money towards the grant?
In most cases, no — the grant covers the full installation cost. Occasionally, depending on your home's survey results, a partial contribution may be needed. You'll always be told this clearly before any work is booked, never after.
What EPC rating do I need to qualify?
Most applicants need a home EPC rating of D, E, F, or G. You can check your rating for free using your postcode on the government's EPC register.
How long does the installation take?
Once your eligibility and survey are confirmed, installation is typically completed within a few days, though this depends on your property's complexity and installer availability.
What if my home has never had any heating system at all?
That's exactly the situation this grant is designed for. A home with no heating at all — not even a single room heater — is a straightforward qualifying case, provided the benefit and EPC criteria are met.
What if I don't receive any of the qualifying benefits?
You may still qualify through your local council's LA Flex route, which covers low-income households or anyone whose health is affected by a cold home, even without a standard qualifying benefit.
Will I get a gas boiler or a heat pump?
It depends on whether your home has an existing mains gas supply. Homes connected to the gas network typically receive a gas boiler and radiator system; homes that aren't connected may be offered an air source heat pump instead.
Is this the same as a boiler replacement grant?
No. First Time Central Heating is for homes with no existing central heating system. If you already have a boiler and radiators but they're old or faulty, that falls under separate ECO4 boiler replacement grants instead.
Bottom line —Most of what stops people applying — cost, tenancy type, EPC uncertainty — is answered above. If your question isn't here, the 60-second eligibility check will answer it directly.
Sources & References
GOV.UK - Energy Company Obligation (ECO4)
Ofgem - Energy Company Obligation (ECO)
Find an energy certificate (EPC register)
GOV.UK - Warm Homes Plan
National Energy Action - Our Health, Our Homes
TrustMark - government-endorsed quality scheme
Gas Safe Register
First Time Central Heating Grant: Summary
Free Boiler Upgrade UK is an independent ECO4 eligibility-check and application-assistance service, connecting eligible UK households nationwide with Gas Safe registered (or MCS-certified, for heat pumps) installers for a fully funded First Time Central Heating installation — at no cost in most cases.
To qualify, a home needs no existing central heating system (relying instead on electric heaters, room heaters, an open fire, or nothing at all), an EPC rating of D–G, and either a qualifying benefit — such as Universal Credit or Pension Credit — or your council's LA Flex route on income or vulnerability grounds. Homeowners and private tenants (with landlord permission) can apply; council and housing association tenants use separate social-housing schemes instead.
A funded installation is a complete system: an A-rated gas boiler, or an air source heat pump if your home isn't on the mains gas network, plus a full radiator network, pipework, thermostatic valves and smart controls — installed after a free survey, with any rare partial contribution confirmed before work is booked, never after.
Moving off electric heaters, room heaters or an open fire typically means a warmer, more evenly heated home, less condensation and damp, and a stronger EPC rating — cold homes are linked to around 10,000 excess winter deaths a year in England and Wales (National Energy Action). ECO4 closes 31 December 2026, after which the Warm Homes Plan takes over from January 2027, so it's worth checking your eligibility now.
Are You Eligible for Free Central Heating?
Confirms your benefits or LA Flex route, tenancy type and EPC band in about 60 seconds. If you qualify, the system and installation are free in most cases.
Ready to Get Your Free Heating System?
Join thousands of UK households who have transformed their homes with the First Time Central Heating Grant. Check your eligibility in about 60 seconds — no obligation, no cost to check.