Heat Pump Grants in Scotland 2026: Home Energy Scotland Explained

Scotland has its own heat pump grant and loan scheme that operates entirely separately from the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS), which covers England and Wales only. Home Energy Scotland (HES) administers the Scottish Heat Pump Support Scheme, offering cashback grants and interest-free loans. The amounts available, eligibility rules, and application process differ significantly from BUS — here is what Scottish homeowners need to know.

What grants are available in Scotland?

As of April 2026, the main support available through Home Energy Scotland for heat pump installations includes a cashback grant of up to £7,500 for air source heat pumps and up to £9,000 for ground source heat pumps, plus an optional interest-free loan of up to £7,500 to cover remaining costs after the grant. The loan is repaid over up to 12 years with no interest charged.

Additional insulation grants are often available alongside heat pump support. Scotland's Warmer Homes Scotland programme provides free insulation measures to eligible low-income households, and insulation improvements are often a condition or strong recommendation before a heat pump grant is approved.

Who is eligible?

To qualify for the HES heat pump cashback grant, you must own (or be in the process of buying) a property in Scotland that is your main residence. The property must currently use a fossil fuel heating system (gas, oil, LPG, or solid fuel) that is being replaced. Unlike the BUS, the HES scheme does not require the property to have a valid Energy Performance Certificate as a condition, though one is needed for MCS installation purposes.

The interest-free loan component has an additional income-based assessment — applicants with very high household incomes may be offered a reduced loan amount or no loan, though the grant itself is not income-tested. Rural and island properties, which often rely on expensive oil or LPG heating, are particularly well served by the scheme.

How does the application process work?

Unlike BUS (where your installer handles the application), the HES process starts with the homeowner. The steps are:

• 1.Contact Home Energy Scotland on 0808 808 2282 (free) for an initial eligibility assessment
• 2.HES arranges a home energy assessment (free), conducted by an HES assessor
• 3.You receive a personalised action plan recommending measures and confirming grant eligibility
• 4.Get quotes from at least two MCS-certified heat pump installers
• 5.HES issues a grant offer letter once you have chosen an installer
• 6.Installation takes place; cashback is paid within 30 days of submitting completion documents

The HES process takes longer than BUS — typically 6–12 weeks from initial contact to grant offer, versus 2–4 weeks for BUS voucher issue. Starting the process early is important if you want to install before the winter heating season.

Differences from the BUS grant

Several important differences between HES and BUS are worth noting. HES offers a combination of grant and loan, potentially providing more total financial support than BUS alone. HES requires a home energy assessment before the grant is confirmed, whereas BUS simply requires an MCS-certified installer to submit an application. HES cashback is paid after installation rather than upfront, meaning you need to fund the full installation cost and reclaim the grant later — the loan product helps bridge this gap.

The installer requirements are also slightly different: Scotland requires MCS certification (same as England), but some Scottish installers are also members of the Renewable Energy Consumer Code (RECC), which provides additional consumer protection. Asking for RECC membership is advisable in addition to MCS certification.

Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland is not covered by BUS or HES. The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) administers heat pump grants in the Republic of Ireland. For Northern Ireland specifically, the Affordable Warmth Scheme provides support for low-income households, but there is no direct equivalent of BUS at time of writing. Homeowners in Northern Ireland should contact the Housing Executive or a local MCS installer for current grant availability.