Households made about 7,500 applications to the Boiler Upgrade Scheme in August 2026, the second-highest month since the grant opened in 2022, according to DESNZ statistics published on 24 September. That is 8% below July’s record of 8,150, the month the grant rose to £9,000 for homes replacing oil or LPG heating. Payouts set their own record: 3,238 air-to-water heat pump vouchers were paid in August, the most for that technology in any single month.
What do the August figures show?
Two numbers matter in the monthly release. Applications show how many households have committed to a heat pump. Paid vouchers show installs that are finished, because the grant is only paid once the heat pump is in and signed off.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Applications, July 2026 | 8,150 (scheme record) |
| July change on June 2026 | +81% |
| July change on July 2025 | +112% |
| Applications, August 2026 | About 7,500, 8% below July |
| Air-to-water vouchers paid, August 2026 | 3,238 (monthly record) |
| Air-to-water vouchers paid, August 2025 | 2,307 |
The dip from July needs context. The £9,000 rate was announced on 26 June and only went live on 21 July, so July’s total is likely to include households who held back until the higher grant applied. August had no such catch-up and still beat every month before July. The paid-voucher record, reported by Energy Live News, narrowly passed the previous high of 3,214 set in October 2025 and is 40% up on August last year.
Why are oil and LPG homes behind the jump?
The government’s own reading of the July figures was that it saw a record number of heating oil households apply. Heating oil and LPG sit outside the Ofgem price cap, so a winter price spike lands on the household in full. Minister for Local Energy and Jobs Martin McCluskey framed the switch in those terms:
“the best way for people on heating oil to get certainty over their bills”
Since 21 July, off-gas-grid homes in England and Wales replacing oil or LPG get £9,000 toward an eligible heat pump, £1,500 more than the standard rate. Our explainer on the £9,000 uplift covers the eligibility rules and what happens to vouchers issued before the change. The rural skew is not new either: DESNZ says 49% of all BUS grants since launch have gone to rural properties.
Park homes are part of this picture. Many residential parks have no mains gas, and residents heating with oil or LPG face the same exposure. Our park home oil boiler replacement page sets out how the grant applies to them.
Does the demand change how quickly you can switch?
It can, and the timing matters more than the headline figures. A heat pump needs a home survey before the quote is final, then the installer applies for the voucher through Ofgem. UKEM’s quote-to-install time for air source heat pumps is around two weeks, with two to four days of fitting on site. Our heat pump installation timeline walks through each stage.
Vouchers also carry an expiry date once issued, so the application is timed around a confirmed install date. Your installer handles that sequencing. The practical step for you is getting the survey booked early enough that the whole process fits inside the grant window.
What else is changing this autumn?
The Warm Homes Loan Scheme, the government-backed loan route for heat pumps, solar and batteries, is expected to open to households this autumn. Gav Murray, Home Heating Director at Hive, said the loans will sit alongside the Boiler Upgrade Scheme to make the switch easier to fund. Participating lenders and terms have not been published yet, so we will cover the detail once the scheme is open.
When a BUS application isn’t the right move
Record demand does not make the grant right for every home. Check these before you book a survey:
- You live in Scotland. BUS covers England and Wales only. Scottish households use the Home Energy Scotland grant and loan instead.
- You heat with mains gas. You qualify for £7,500, not £9,000. The uplift is for off-gas-grid homes replacing oil or LPG.
- Your home is a new build or a static caravan. Neither is eligible. Residential park homes can be.
- You want air-to-air heating. That falls under a separate £2,500 tier and does not heat your hot water.
- Your radiators are small or your home is draughty. The survey may call for larger emitters. Our guide to heat pump radiators and emitters explains what usually changes.
August’s figures confirm that July was not a one-off: demand from oil and LPG homes held up for a second month while completed air-to-water installs hit a record. The higher grant still has a fixed end date. For anyone on oil who has been weighing it up, the useful move now is a survey before the winter queue builds, rather than waiting for next month’s figures.
Frequently asked questions
How many people applied for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme in August 2026?
About 7,500. DESNZ statistics published on 24 September 2026 show August applications were 8% lower than July's record of 8,150, which still makes August the second-highest month since the scheme opened in 2022. Payouts for air-to-water heat pumps reached a new monthly high, with 3,238 vouchers paid.
Is the £9,000 heat pump grant still available?
Yes. Homes in England and Wales that are off the gas grid and replacing oil or LPG heating get £9,000 toward an eligible air-to-water or ground source heat pump until 31 March 2027. Other eligible homes get £7,500. The £9,000 uplift explainer covers who qualifies in detail.
Could the grant money run out with demand this high?
The scheme runs on a fixed annual budget, set at £400m for 2026-27, the largest yearly allocation since launch. DESNZ has not announced any cap or early closure, but budgets are set year by year, so we would not plan around the money being there indefinitely.
Do I apply for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme myself?
No. Only an MCS-certified installer can apply, and they do it through Ofgem once your survey and quote are agreed. UKEM applies on your behalf as part of the install and takes the grant off your invoice, so you never pay the full price and claim it back.
