Homeowners can now apply for new £2,500 grants to help install air conditioning, but may face months-long delays, The i Paper has revealed. The Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS), which offers Government grants for green energy upgrades, was expanded on 28 April to include air-to-air heat pumps that can cool homes.
However, installers who apply for grants on behalf of homeowners are still awaiting accreditation to fit the heat pumps. The National Federation of Builders (NFB) warned it could take “a few months, at least” to get accreditation and train thousands of installers, meaning the scheme may be unavailable until late summer.
The grant is only available to homeowners, leaving tenants in high-rise flats—more vulnerable to heatwaves—reliant on landlords choosing to install cooling systems. The Climate Change Committee recently warned that the UK was “built for a climate that no longer exists” and that air conditioning will be needed in homes, hospitals, schools, prisons and care homes.
Air-to-air heat pumps can heat or cool air inside a building and are often used alongside another heating system. They are a good option for flats or smaller homes as they are affordable and easy to install. The grant cannot be used to buy an air conditioner alongside a fossil-fuel heating system or for new-build properties.
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero said grants are now open and people can apply by contacting an accredited installer. But the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) is still waiting for certification from the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (Ukas), with no clear timeline for approval.
