What Are the Qualifying Factors for the New Boiler Grant Scheme?
Find yourself struggling to keep your home warm in winter? Are your heating bills over the top? The chances are that your boiler needs replacing. You can save on your future bills by claiming a grant for a free boiler from the government-backed scheme.
Applying for a new boiler grant under the new ECO scheme requires checking off some specific criteria. Although the scheme is targeted towards low-income households, this doesn’t automatically qualify you for the boiler grant scheme.
Here’s a list of the criteria:
Home-based Requirements
You qualify for the grant if you’re a homeowner and your home is on mains gas supply. Those residing in privately rented properties or council-owned properties aren’t eligible if they already had a boiler. However, if they’re installing a boiler for the first time, tenants and landlords can apply for a free first-time boiler and radiator grant.
That said, if you reside in social housing with any of the following EPC ratings: E, F, or G, you could also be eligible for the scheme.
Boiler Requirements
According to the current scheme’s terms, the boiler must be at least eight years old to qualify for the grant. Boilers below eight years are considered repairable, and hence more cost-efficient to be repaired than replaced.
Received Benefits Requirements
Receiving any of the below benefits can either qualify you automatically or will require at least one additional component to the benefit to be eligible.
If you’re receiving pension credit or child tax credits for a household income that’s below £16,010/year, you’re automatically eligible.
Other benefits that will require additional components are:
Income Benefits
These include income-related employment and support allowance, income-based JSA, and income support. If you receive any of these benefits, you’ll also need one of these requirements:
- Employer Support
- Disability living allowance
- A child under the age of 16
- A child below the age of 20 not enrolled in higher education
- Pension Premium
Working Tax Credits
Your household needs to have an income below £16,010/year and have one of the following components to qualify for the grant:
- Be older than 60 years of age
- Receiving disabled worker or severe disability element
- A child under the age of 16
- A child under the age of 20 that isn’t enrolled in higher education
Universal Credit
Those who receive a monthly payment of £1,250 (or less within the past 12 months period) need one of the following:
- A child under the age of 16
- A child under the age of 20 not enrolled in high education
- Disability living allowance (DLA)
- Personal independent payment (PIP)
- Limited work capability
Child Tax Credit
To apply for the grant with this benefit, you need to fall within a set threshold for income. The threshold differs whether you’re a single parent or a couple and depends on the number of children.
Those receiving both child tax credit and pension credit will automatically qualify as long as the household income is under £16,010/year.
Conclusion
The days of using a highly inefficient boiler could be over for you with the new boiler grant scheme. Once you check your eligibility, apply for the grant and make those winter days warmer.