70 to 100% funded
Save up to £7000 on new efficient central heating system.
Gas line & meter install
Help to organise and possibly fund gas line & meter installation.
Much lower heating costs
Save approximately 40% on fuel bills with gas central heating.
Over 1,000 installs
PAS accredited & Gas Safe registered professional installation teams.
Within 10 days installation
If you qualify , you can get your new FTCH in 7-10 days at the property.
First Time Central Heating Grants are available for the installation of central heating systems into homes which DO NOT have and have NEVER previously had a central heating system.
Our Hassle-Free Process:
- If you qualify for ECO4 grants, simply fill in our form and a member of our team will be in touch to discuss your requirements or give us a call (insert contact number link)
- Once we have confirmed your eligibility we will arrange for an approved energy surveyor to assess your property free of charge.
- We will then submit your grant qualification on your behalf and arrange for work to begin on your property within 10 days. That’s it – you get a warmer home and lower bills.
What Are the Benefits of First Time Central Heating?
If you currently do not have any central heating and are unsure whether you should take advantage of the first-time central heating grant, the answer is simple. The funding would lower your heating bills for you and your family whilst providing you with a warmer more comfortable living environment at no cost to you!
As the funding is a grant, not a loan, it doesn’t need to be repaid and could cover a large part – if not all – of the cost of installing central heating in your home.
The average cost of having a central heating system installed privately is approximately between £6,000 and £9,00, however, qualifying homeowners taking advantage of a heating grant can save them a considerable amount of money. If you receive one of the qualifying benefits, you could be eligible for free or a heavily subsidised first-time central heating in your home. (see the qualifying benefit list)
If you you are eligible to receive the grant, we will arrange a free no obligation survey of your home and its existing heating system. After this survey we will be able to see the suitability and feasibility of the installation.
We will also be able to assess if you need to contribute towards the cost or it can be done free of cost.
To qualify for First Time Central Heating Grants, either you or someone living permanently with you, must receive at least one of the qualifying State Benefits.
- Pension Credit – Guarantee Credit
- Pension Credit – Savings Credit
- Universal Credit
- Child Tax Credit
- Working Tax Credit
- Income Support
- Income-Related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- Income-Based Job Seeker’s Allowance (JSA)
- Child Benefit (subject to maximum household income
- Housing benefit
The person claiming needs to have an annual income (from all sources) which does not exceed the amounts set out below:
| Number of Qualifying Children | One | Two | Three | Four |
| Single claimant | £19,800 | £24,600 | £29,400 | £34,200 |
| Member of a couple | £27,300 | £32,100 | £36,900 | £41,700 |
● You must be a homeowner or a tenant in a privately rented home.
Householders who rent their home from a local council or a housing association, and those in shared ownership homes do not qualify for the first-time central heating grants scheme.
● Your home must have either no heating at all or one of the following heating systems:
- Electric room heaters, including direct acting room heaters, fan heaters or inefficient electric storage heaters
- Gas room heaters; including fixed mains gas room heaters; or
- Gas fire with back boiler; or
- Solid fossil fuel fire with back boiler, or
- Mains gas warm air heating system, or
- Electric underfloor or ceiling heating (not part of an electric boiler); or
- Bottled LPG room heating; or
- Solid fossil fuel room heaters; or
- Wood/biomass room heating; or
- Oil room heaters
The relevant heating system used to assess your eligibility for First Time Central Heating Grants is that which appears as the ‘Main Heating’ system on the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) for your home.
● You must receive at least one of the Qualifying Benefits, or qualify under ECO Flex Rules
To qualify for First Time Central Heating Grants, either you or someone living permanently with you, must receive at least one of the following State Benefits, Tax Credits or Other Allowances unless you qualify under ECO Flex Rules:
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- Pension Credit – Guarantee Credit
- Pension Credit – Savings Credit
- Universal Credit
- Child Tax Credit
- Working Tax Credit
- Income Support
- Income-Related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- Income-Based Job Seeker’s Allowance (JSA)
- Child Benefit (subject to maximum household income
- Housing benefit
FAQs
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Can I get free first-time central heating?
Free First Time Central Heating are available to both homeowners and tenants in privately rented homes.
If you are a tenant in council owned homes, in housing association homes and householders living in shared ownership homes do not qualify for free First Time Central Heating.
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Will I have to contribute to the cost of the central heating installation?
In most cases, First Time Central Heating Grants will cover the full cost of installing central heating in your home.
However, in some cases you may have to make a contribution. When we carry out our initial free survey of the property, we will be able to find out if you need to contribute.
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I don’t receive any of the qualifying benefits. Can I still apply?
Funds are available for people who meet the qualifying criteria. If you don’t qualify you can look to get the FTCH done privately from us. Give us a call to discuss your options.
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I don’t receive any of the qualifying benefits but someone in my home does, can I still apply?
Yes. If someone living in house gets any of the qualifying benefits you can apply for FTCH.
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How do I apply?
Complete the form on our website or call us to determine if you qualify.
We will get back to you as soon as we can to let you know whether you qualify for based on the information you provide.
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What does a first-time central heating grant cover?
First Time Central Heating Grants cover the cost of supplying and installing a central heating boiler together with radiators, the necessary pipework and heating control systems.
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How long does it take for central heating will be installed in my home?
When the initial contact is made, we will call you back to asses your situation and the qualifying criteria.
If the initial criteria is met, we carry out an electronic check with the DWP to confirm some data. This process can take between 3 to 5 days.
Once we receive the data match confirmation back from DWP, a survey of your home and existing heating structure will be carried out. Next, we will book you in for the installation at your convenient time. From initial contact to installation, it usually takes between 7 to 10 working days.
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What if central heating has been fitted in my home but has been removed?
Free First Time Central Heating system are their purely to help pay for the installation of central heating systems in homes which ‘do not have and have not previously had a central heating system’.
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What if I am not sure whether central heating has been fitted in my home before but removed?
To qualify for free First Time Central Heating homeowners, need to sign a declaration confirming the following:
“I, the owner of the premises, declare that to the best of my knowledge, at no point prior to the installation of the first time central heating, first time district heating system or first time renewable heating system, did the premises have a central heating system, district heating system, or renewable heating system nor, immediately prior to the installation, did the premises did have a working, efficient electric storage heater(s).”
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Do I have to insulate my home before central heating can be installed?
To qualify for free First Time Central Heating, cavity wall insulation and roof insulation / loft insulation must be installed in your home unless it is already present prior to the installation of the central heating system.
This is to ensure that you benefit fully from the central heating system without unnecessary heat loss through the walls and roof of your home.
If your home doesn’t have either of these installed at the time of your application, we can arrange to do the insulation at the same time.