The air to air heat pump grant became real on 28 April 2026, when the Boiler Upgrade Scheme opened to air-to-air systems with a £2,500 payment for domestic properties in England and Wales (GOV.UK, 2026). For installers who spent years telling customers that air-to-air did not qualify, the rules have flipped, and the detail now decides whether a quote becomes a voucher.
This change sits inside the largest overhaul of the scheme since it launched, backed by a £400 million budget for 2026 to 2027 (GOV.UK, 2026). Yet claiming the grant is not simple today. Product certification, tight eligibility and an empty MCS directory mean many summer quotes will not convert into paid vouchers.
Key Takeaways
- Air-to-air heat pumps became eligible for a £2,500 Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant on 28 April 2026, in England and Wales only.
- The grant is ring-fenced to homes replacing direct electric heating such as storage heaters, not gas, oil or LPG boilers.
- Air-to-water and ground source pumps still attract £7,500, rising to £9,000 for off-grid oil and LPG homes from 21 July 2026.
- Only MCS-certified installers can claim, and MCS certification now sits on a statutory footing.
- As of mid-2026 no air-to-air products appear on the MCS product directory, so compliant vouchers cannot yet be generated.
Does the air to air heat pump grant actually exist in 2026?
Yes. Air-to-air heat pumps became eligible for a £2,500 Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant on 28 April 2026, when the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (England and Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2026 came into force (MCS, 2026). Before that date, air-to-air was excluded from the scheme entirely.
The exclusion had a clear logic. Air-to-air systems move warm air around rooms and do not heat water, so they sat outside a scheme built around wet central heating. The 2026 amendment widened the scope to four technologies: air source (air-to-water), ground source, biomass and air-to-air (HEM Guide, 2026).
For installers, this is a mindset shift more than a paperwork change. The old answer, that air-to-air never qualifies, is now wrong. The new answer carries conditions, and getting those conditions right protects both your reputation and your customer's expectations.
How much is the air to air heat pump grant worth?
The air-to-air grant is £2,500, set deliberately below the £7,500 available for air-to-water and ground source heat pumps (GOV.UK, 2026). It covers domestic properties only, and one grant applies to the property rather than to each indoor unit.
The gap reflects scope. An air-to-air system heats living space but leaves hot water to another appliance, usually an immersion cylinder or an existing electric source. The £2,500 recognises the carbon saved by displacing direct electric heating without matching the value of a full wet system.
Off-grid homes get a separate uplift, but not for air-to-air. From 21 July 2026, properties heated by oil or LPG can claim £9,000 for an air-to-water or ground source pump, a temporary measure running to 31 March 2027 (GOV.UK, 2026). That larger route, covered in our guide to the heat pump grant for oil boiler homes, stays closed to air-to-air.
Air to air heat pump grant eligibility explained
Eligibility is narrow. The £2,500 air-to-air grant is ring-fenced for homes replacing direct electric heating, such as storage heaters, electric panel radiators or electric underfloor systems (Logic4training, 2026). Homes running on gas, oil or LPG boilers cannot claim it.
This is the point most installers miss. A customer with a gas boiler who wants air conditioning that also heats will not qualify for the £2,500. The grant targets electrically heated homes, which often sit off the gas grid and carry higher running costs.
The property must be in England or Wales, and an MCS-certified business must complete the work. The requirement for a valid EPC before applying was removed in the April 2026 overhaul, so a recent utility bill and photos of the existing system can serve as evidence instead (HEM Guide, 2026). Check the fuel source on the first visit, because that single fact decides whether a quote can ever become a voucher.
Does air-to-air qualify under the Boiler Upgrade Scheme?
It does now, but only under the 2026 rules. The Boiler Upgrade Scheme historically covered air-to-water, ground source and biomass, and air-to-air joined from 28 April 2026, with MCS certification made statutory and the scheme extended to 2030 (MCS, 2026).
The extension to 2030 matters for planning. Installers building an air-to-air offer now have a stable policy window rather than a scheme winding down. Our overview of the MCS Boiler Upgrade Scheme process sets out how the voucher route works in practice.
One observation from quoting work is worth flagging. Customers routinely confuse air source with air-to-air, yet air source in scheme language means air-to-water. Spelling out the difference early avoids awkward conversations when the grant turns out to be £2,500 rather than £7,500.
Air-to-air vs air-to-water for grants
The choice comes down to grant value against system scope. Air-to-water attracts £7,500 and heats the whole home plus hot water, while air-to-air attracts £2,500, heats air only and adds summer cooling (Which?, 2026). The right answer depends on the property and its existing fuel.
The comparison below sets the two technologies side by side. It focuses on the factors that shape most installer quotes.
- Grant value: £2,500 for air-to-air, £7,500 for air-to-water (up to £9,000 for off-grid oil and LPG).
- Hot water: air-to-air does not heat water; air-to-water does.
- Cooling: air-to-air cools in summer; air-to-water rarely does.
- Typical install cost: air-to-air £4,000 to £9,500; air-to-water £8,000 to £16,500.
- Eligible fuel replaced: air-to-air, direct electric only; air-to-water, gas, oil, LPG or electric.
- SCOP range: air-to-air around 3.0 to 4.0; air-to-water around 3.0 to 4.5.
For a well-insulated flat with old storage heaters, air-to-air can make strong sense: a lower install cost, cooling included and a grant covering a real share of the bill. For a gas-heated house that wants lower carbon and keeps its hot water, air-to-water stays the grant-backed route.
Why can't installers claim the air-to-air grant yet?
Because the products are not listed. As of mid-2026, no air-to-air units appear on the MCS product directory, and a compliant Boiler Upgrade Scheme voucher cannot be generated without a certified product (MCS, 2026). The rules exist, but the hardware route does not.
The standards framework itself is ready. MCS updated its heat pump product standard to bring air-to-air into scope, yet manufacturers must still push individual models through certification and onto the public directory before any voucher can be raised.
In practice, the market sits in a waiting period. Installers can build pipelines, train staff and prepare quotes, but the moment to submit vouchers arrives only once certified products appear. Promising a grant-funded install before then risks a commitment you cannot keep.
MCS certification requirements for installers
Both the installer and the product must be MCS-certified. The April 2026 amendment put MCS certification on a statutory footing, so a non-MCS installer cannot claim the grant whatever the quality of the work (MCS, 2026). Our MCS compliance guide covers the accreditation steps in detail.
If your business already holds air source certification, adding air-to-air follows the updated MCS standards rather than a separate scheme. Product knowledge still needs to catch up, because air-to-air design differs from wet system design in both sizing and airflow.
Certification also links to consumer protection. MCS accreditation runs alongside membership of a consumer code, so staying a TrustMark registered business is part of remaining grant-ready. The certified installer then manages the Ofgem voucher on the homeowner's behalf (Ofgem, 2026).
What does an air-to-air system cost after the grant?
A single-room air-to-air system runs about £2,500 to £4,500 installed, while multi-room systems reach £4,000 to £9,500 (Which?, 2026). A £2,500 grant against a single-room job can cover most of the cost, though multi-room installs still leave a meaningful balance.
Running costs sit close to gas. An air-to-air system with a SCOP of about 3.5 delivers heat competitively, though the exact figure moves with electricity prices and building fabric. For homes replacing expensive direct electric heating, the switch usually trims annual bills.
For installers weighing air-to-air against solar-linked heating, planning the full system early pays off. Reonic's design and quoting software helps model heat demand and grant scenarios before the survey, and our solar and heat pump system guide shows how the pieces fit. The grant is real, but the winning quote is the honest one.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get the air to air heat pump grant with a gas boiler?
No. The £2,500 air-to-air grant is limited to homes replacing direct electric heating, such as storage heaters or electric panel radiators. Homes running on gas, oil or LPG boilers are excluded from the air-to-air route, though they may qualify for the £7,500 air-to-water grant instead (Logic4training, 2026).
Is the air to air heat pump grant available right now?
The rules are live from 28 April 2026, but claims are not practical yet. As of mid-2026, no air-to-air products appear on the MCS product directory, so a compliant voucher cannot be generated. Prepare quotes, but wait for certified products before you promise any grant funding (MCS, 2026).
How much is the air to air heat pump grant?
The grant is £2,500 for domestic properties in England and Wales. It is lower than the £7,500 for air-to-water and ground source heat pumps, because air-to-air heats space but not hot water. Only one grant applies per property, not per indoor unit (GOV.UK, 2026).
Do installers need MCS certification to claim?
Yes. Since April 2026, MCS certification sits on a statutory footing, so only certified installers can claim, whatever the quality of the work. The certified installer designs the system and manages the Boiler Upgrade Scheme voucher with Ofgem for the homeowner (MCS, 2026).
Is air-to-air or air-to-water better value with the grant?
It depends on the home. Air-to-water gives £7,500 and heats the whole house plus hot water, suiting gas-heated properties. Air-to-air gives £2,500, adds cooling and costs less to install, suiting electrically heated homes. Match the technology to the existing fuel and the customer's real needs.
