How much is the air-to-air heat pump grant worth?

£2,500 per property, paid to your MCS-certified installer and deducted from your quote. That compares with £7,500 for an air source (air-to-water) or ground source heat pump, and £5,000 for a biomass boiler, under the same scheme.

Can I apply for the grant myself?

No. The Boiler Upgrade Scheme is installer-led — your MCS-certified installer submits the application on your behalf and you approve it digitally. There's no separate homeowner application form.

Can I get the £2,500 grant right now?

Not yet, but the product side has moved. The regulation has been in force since 28 April 2026, and the MCS Product Directory now lists 81 air-to-air heat pump products: 16 from GD Midea certified from 13 May 2026, and 65 from Daikin Europe certified from 28 July 2026. We checked the directory directly on 12 September 2026. Product listing is only the first step, though: grant claims open once MCS certification for the technology itself is complete, and no date has been given for that. Ask any installer quoting you for an air-to-air system whether they can currently raise an MCS certificate and claim the grant on your job — some may not be able to yet.

Does a normal air conditioner qualify for any UK grant?

No. A standard cooling-only air conditioner — portable, or a fixed split system without a certified heating function replacing your heating system — is not eligible for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme or any other government cooling grant. The £2,500 is a heating-system subsidy that happens to be paid on a reversible unit, not a subsidy for cooling.

Do I need a valid EPC to apply?

No. Gov.uk's current eligibility checklist for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme does not list a valid Energy Performance Certificate as a requirement.

Is VAT on a heat pump 0%?

Yes, for now. Energy-saving materials including heat pumps qualify for 0% VAT on both the unit and installation labour in Great Britain. That temporary zero rate is due to end on 31 March 2027, after which it's set to revert to the standard reduced rate of 5% — confirm the current position with your installer before booking work close to that date.

Can I install an air-to-air heat pump myself and still get the grant?

No. The Boiler Upgrade Scheme requires an MCS-certified installer to carry out and register the installation — there is no route to certify a self-fitted unit after the fact, so DIY-fitting one permanently forfeits the £2,500. Separately, most air-to-air heat pumps are split systems containing fluorinated greenhouse gas (F-Gas), and by law that refrigerant work must be carried out by an F-Gas certified engineer regardless of the grant — check the current legal position before attempting it yourself. Note too that grant claims have not yet opened as of 12 September 2026: MCS certification for the air-to-air technology itself is still incomplete, so even a fully installer-fitted system may not be claimable yet. If you want to self-install, a plug-in portable unit involves no refrigerant work at all. Pre-charged 'DIY split' systems with sealed quick-connect couplings are sold on the basis that the refrigerant circuit is never opened, so F-Gas certification isn't engaged — but that depends on the specific product and on the install going to plan, so check the manufacturer's own statement and the current rules before you buy. Neither route is eligible for this grant.

How much is the air-to-air heat pump grant worth?

£2,500 per property, paid to your MCS-certified installer and deducted from your quote. That compares with £7,500 for an air source (air-to-water) or ground source heat pump, and £5,000 for a biomass boiler, under the same scheme.

Can I apply for the grant myself?

No. The Boiler Upgrade Scheme is installer-led — your MCS-certified installer submits the application on your behalf and you approve it digitally. There's no separate homeowner application form.

Can I get the £2,500 grant right now?

Not yet, but the product side has moved. The regulation has been in force since 28 April 2026, and the MCS Product Directory now lists 81 air-to-air heat pump products: 16 from GD Midea certified from 13 May 2026, and 65 from Daikin Europe certified from 28 July 2026. We checked the directory directly on 12 September 2026. Product listing is only the first step, though: grant claims open once MCS certification for the technology itself is complete, and no date has been given for that. Ask any installer quoting you for an air-to-air system whether they can currently raise an MCS certificate and claim the grant on your job — some may not be able to yet.

Does a normal air conditioner qualify for any UK grant?

No. A standard cooling-only air conditioner — portable, or a fixed split system without a certified heating function replacing your heating system — is not eligible for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme or any other government cooling grant. The £2,500 is a heating-system subsidy that happens to be paid on a reversible unit, not a subsidy for cooling.

Do I need a valid EPC to apply?

No. Gov.uk's current eligibility checklist for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme does not list a valid Energy Performance Certificate as a requirement.

Is VAT on a heat pump 0%?

Yes, for now. Energy-saving materials including heat pumps qualify for 0% VAT on both the unit and installation labour in Great Britain. That temporary zero rate is due to end on 31 March 2027, after which it's set to revert to the standard reduced rate of 5% — confirm the current position with your installer before booking work close to that date.

Can I install an air-to-air heat pump myself and still get the grant?

No. The Boiler Upgrade Scheme requires an MCS-certified installer to carry out and register the installation — there is no route to certify a self-fitted unit after the fact, so DIY-fitting one permanently forfeits the £2,500. Separately, most air-to-air heat pumps are split systems containing fluorinated greenhouse gas (F-Gas), and by law that refrigerant work must be carried out by an F-Gas certified engineer regardless of the grant — check the current legal position before attempting it yourself. Note too that grant claims have not yet opened as of 12 September 2026: MCS certification for the air-to-air technology itself is still incomplete, so even a fully installer-fitted system may not be claimable yet. If you want to self-install, a plug-in portable unit involves no refrigerant work at all. Pre-charged 'DIY split' systems with sealed quick-connect couplings are sold on the basis that the refrigerant circuit is never opened, so F-Gas certification isn't engaged — but that depends on the specific product and on the install going to plan, so check the manufacturer's own statement and the current rules before you buy. Neither route is eligible for this grant.

Is there a grant for air conditioning in the UK?

Quick answer

Can you get a grant for air conditioning in the UK? Yes, for reversible air-to-air heat pumps that replace your heating \u2014 \u00a32,500 via the Boiler Upgrade Scheme since 28 April 2026. No grant for cooling-only AC. Full rules, honest status check, and sources.

Who qualifies for the £2,500 air-to-air grant?: ✅ Property in England or Wales. The scheme doesn’t cover Scotland or Northern Ireland, which run separate schemes. ✅ You own the property — a main home, a second home, or one you rent out to tenants all qualify.
How claiming it actually works — it’s installer-led?: 3. Your installer submits the BUS application and sends you a digital consent to approve — the same process used for the £7,500 heat pump grant. 4. The £2,500 comes off your quote once the grant is approved, and the inst
Check with your installer before you assume you can?: The regulation making air-to-air heat pumps eligible has been in force since 28 April 2026 — that part is settled law. What’s not settled is whether an installer near you can actually raise the paperwork to claim it. The

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Last checked: 12 September 2026. Every figure below is sourced and linked — see sources & cited data at the bottom.

Yes, for a reversible air-to-air heat pump that replaces your home’s heating system — the Boiler Upgrade Scheme regulations provide a £2,500 voucher toward one in England and Wales, from 28 April 2026. No, for a cooling-only air conditioner — there is no UK government grant for AC bought purely to cool a room; the £2,500 is a heating-replacement subsidy, not a cooling subsidy.

The grant, in one table

System	BUS grant	In force since
Air-to-air heat pump (reversible, replaces heating)	£2,500	28 April 2026
Air source (air-to-water) heat pump	£7,500	2022 (raised to £7,500 in 2023)
Ground source heat pump	£7,500	2022 (raised to £7,500 in 2023)
Biomass boiler	£5,000	2022
Off-gas oil/LPG uplift (added to the air/ground source grant)	+£1,500	Until March 2027
Cooling-only air conditioning	£0 — not eligible	—

Source: gov.uk — what you can get. The air-to-air amount was added by The Boiler Upgrade Scheme (England and Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2026 (SI 2026/390), in force 28 April 2026. The scheme is funded through to 2029/30.

Want to know the day claims open? Join the free grant alert →

Who qualifies for the £2,500 air-to-air grant

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✅ Property in England or Wales. The scheme doesn’t cover Scotland or Northern Ireland, which run separate schemes.
✅ You own the property — a main home, a second home, or one you rent out to tenants all qualify.
✅ You’re replacing an existing fossil fuel or electric heating system (gas, oil, LPG or electric) — the air-to-air heat pump is taking over the job of heating the home, not adding to it.
✅ The heat pump is sized to meet the property’s full space heating demand, alone or alongside a non-fossil-fuel supplementary heater. A hybrid system that keeps a fossil-fuel boiler running alongside it is not eligible.
✅ An MCS-certified installer does the work and commissions it within 120 days of applying.
❌ Most new-build homes and social housing don’t qualify.
❌ A cooling-only air conditioner never qualifies, however efficient it is — see below.

Sources: gov.uk — check if you’re eligible and Ofgem — BUS guidance for property owners.

How claiming it actually works — it’s installer-led

You don’t apply for this grant yourself. The Boiler Upgrade Scheme is installer-led: your MCS-certified installer submits the application on your behalf, and the £2,500 is paid directly to them, not to you — so it should already be deducted from the quote you’re given, not something you claim back afterwards.

1. Get quotes from installers who can do air-to-air heat pumps. Ask directly whether they’re MCS-certified for this specific technology — see the honest status check below, because not every installer will be able to say yes yet.
2. Confirm the system replaces your heating, not just adds cooling. The design has to meet your property’s full space heating demand for the grant to apply.
3. Your installer submits the BUS application and sends you a digital consent to approve — the same process used for the £7,500 heat pump grant.
4. The £2,500 comes off your quote once the grant is approved, and the installer must commission the system within 120 days of applying.

Can you actually claim it yet?

Check with your installer before you assume you can

The regulation making air-to-air heat pumps eligible has been in force since 28 April 2026 — that part is settled law. What’s not settled is whether an installer near you can actually raise the paperwork to claim it. The product side has moved. We checked the MCS Product Directory directly on 12 September 2026 and it lists 81 air-to-air heat pump products: 16 from GD Midea Air-Conditioning certified from 13 May 2026, and 65 from Daikin Europe certified from 28 July 2026.

But a product being listed is not the same as the grant being claimable. In the trade’s own words, product listing is “a required first step towards A2A heat pumps becoming eligible for government support under schemes such as the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, once MCS certification for the technology is complete” — and no date has been given for that. Installers also need to be MCS-certified in the air-to-air scope specifically, not just for air-to-water or ground source.

In practice, that can mean an installer offers you a genuinely reversible air-to-air heat pump but can’t yet issue the MCS certificate that unlocks the £2,500. Don’t take “yes, it’s eligible” on trust — ask the specific question: “can you raise an MCS certificate for this exact product and claim the Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant on my job, today?” A reputable installer will give you a straight answer rather than assume it’ll come through later.

Why you can’t buy one, fit it yourself, and claim the £2,500 afterwards

If your plan is to buy an air-to-air heat pump and fit it yourself over a weekend, it’s worth knowing upfront that this grant isn’t compatible with that plan — for two separate reasons, one about the scheme and one about the law.

First, there’s no retrospective route into the grant. The Boiler Upgrade Scheme requires an MCS-certified installer to carry out and register the installation before it’s eligible — the certificate is what makes the claim possible in the first place. There is no mechanism to get a self-fitted system MCS-certified after the fact, so DIY-fitting one doesn’t delay the £2,500, it permanently forfeits it.

Second, this isn’t just a scheme rule — it’s the law. Most air-to-air heat pumps are split systems, and split systems contain fluorinated greenhouse gas (F-Gas) refrigerant. Installing, commissioning, or handling that refrigerant is a job for an F-Gas certified engineer, under the Fluorinated Greenhouse Gases Regulations 2015 — a legal requirement that applies whether or not you’re claiming any grant. Confirm the current position before doing any refrigerant work yourself.

That doesn’t mean self-installing air conditioning is off the table — it means a genuine self-install has to be a different product. A plug-in portable air conditioner needs no refrigerant work from you at all. So-called “DIY split” systems also exist, pre-charged and sold with sealed quick-connect couplings designed to avoid on-site refrigerant handling. Both are legitimate options if cooling is what you’re after — but neither is the reversible, heating-replacing air-to-air heat pump this grant is written for, and neither qualifies for the £2,500.

So it comes down to what you actually want: if the £2,500 matters to you, an MCS-certified installer isn’t an optional extra, it’s the only route to the money. If you don’t care about the grant and just want cooling, a portable unit or a DIY split is a legitimate route — and the rest of this page, which is about a heating-replacement subsidy, isn’t really for you.

If you just want to cool a room, this grant isn’t for you

Most people searching for “air conditioning grant UK” want to cool a bedroom or living room in summer — and for that, we found no nationwide UK government grant (checked 11 September 2026), from the Boiler Upgrade Scheme or elsewhere in UK government policy. The £2,500 only applies to a system that’s doing your home’s heating, and happens to also be able to reverse into cooling mode. A portable AC unit, a standard fixed split system bought purely for summer cooling, or a system that leaves your existing boiler running alongside it, all get nothing.

If cooling is genuinely your priority and you don’t need a whole-home heating replacement, a reversible split-system air conditioner without a BUS claim is usually the faster, cheaper route — see our air conditioning vs heat pump comparison for real installed costs either way.

The other saving: 0% VAT, for now

Separately from the grant, qualifying heat pumps carry 0% VAT on both the unit and the installation labour in Great Britain, under HMRC’s energy-saving materials relief. That temporary zero rate is currently due to end on 31 March 2027, after which the rate is set to revert to 5% — worth factoring in if you’re weighing up timing, and worth confirming directly with your installer since VAT rules can change with little notice. See the full breakdown of the VAT change for the detail.

Want a quote that already accounts for this?

Get quotes from installers in your area and ask upfront whether they can claim the £2,500 (or the £7,500 air source grant) on your job.

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Installers: get told the day you can claim the £2,500

We track this grant’s MCS status for the trade. Join our installer network to get told the moment air-to-air certification opens up in your area.

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More on heat pump grants and AC

Do you need planning permission for air conditioning? — in England, reversible air-to-air units can now fall under permitted development, subject to conditions.

The £7,500 Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant, explained →

Air conditioning vs heat pump — which should you get? →

Heat pump cost UK 2026 — full breakdown →

Air source vs ground source heat pump →

Find an MCS-certified heat pump installer →

FAQ

Air conditioning grant UK — frequently asked questions

Is there a grant for air conditioning in the UK?: Only for reversible air-to-air heat pumps that replace your home's heating system — not for cooling-only air conditioning. Since 28 April 2026, the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) pays £2,500 toward an air-to-air heat pump in England and Wales. A unit bought purely to cool a room in summer gets nothing.
How much is the air-to-air heat pump grant worth?: £2,500 per property, paid to your MCS-certified installer and deducted from your quote. That compares with £7,500 for an air source (air-to-water) or ground source heat pump, and £5,000 for a biomass boiler, under the same scheme.
Can I apply for the grant myself?: No. The Boiler Upgrade Scheme is installer-led — your MCS-certified installer submits the application on your behalf and you approve it digitally. There's no separate homeowner application form.
Can I get the £2,500 grant right now?: Not yet, but the product side has moved. The regulation has been in force since 28 April 2026, and the MCS Product Directory now lists 81 air-to-air heat pump products: 16 from GD Midea certified from 13 May 2026, and 65 from Daikin Europe certified from 28 July 2026. We checked the directory directly on 12 September 2026. Product listing is only the first step, though: grant claims open once MCS certification for the technology itself is complete, and no date has been given for that. Ask any installer quoting you for an air-to-air system whether they can currently raise an MCS certificate and claim the grant on your job — some may not be able to yet.
Does a normal air conditioner qualify for any UK grant?: No. A standard cooling-only air conditioner — portable, or a fixed split system without a certified heating function replacing your heating system — is not eligible for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme or any other government cooling grant. The £2,500 is a heating-system subsidy that happens to be paid on a reversible unit, not a subsidy for cooling.
Do I need a valid EPC to apply?: No. Gov.uk's current eligibility checklist for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme does not list a valid Energy Performance Certificate as a requirement.
Is VAT on a heat pump 0%?: Yes, for now. Energy-saving materials including heat pumps qualify for 0% VAT on both the unit and installation labour in Great Britain. That temporary zero rate is due to end on 31 March 2027, after which it's set to revert to the standard reduced rate of 5% — confirm the current position with your installer before booking work close to that date.
Can I install an air-to-air heat pump myself and still get the grant?: No. The Boiler Upgrade Scheme requires an MCS-certified installer to carry out and register the installation — there is no route to certify a self-fitted unit after the fact, so DIY-fitting one permanently forfeits the £2,500. Separately, most air-to-air heat pumps are split systems containing fluorinated greenhouse gas (F-Gas), and by law that refrigerant work must be carried out by an F-Gas certified engineer regardless of the grant — check the current legal position before attempting it yourself. Note too that grant claims have not yet opened as of 12 September 2026: MCS certification for the air-to-air technology itself is still incomplete, so even a fully installer-fitted system may not be claimable yet. If you want to self-install, a plug-in portable unit involves no refrigerant work at all. Pre-charged 'DIY split' systems with sealed quick-connect couplings are sold on the basis that the refrigerant circuit is never opened, so F-Gas certification isn't engaged — but that depends on the specific product and on the install going to plan, so check the manufacturer's own statement and the current rules before you buy. Neither route is eligible for this grant.

Sources & cited data

Boiler Upgrade Scheme — what you can get — https://www.gov.uk/apply-boiler-upgrade-scheme/what-you-can-get
Boiler Upgrade Scheme — check if you're eligible — https://www.gov.uk/apply-boiler-upgrade-scheme/check-if-youre-eligible
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme (England and Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2026 (SI 2026/390) — https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2026/390/contents/made
Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) — guidance for property owners — https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/environmental-and-social-schemes/boiler-upgrade-scheme-bus/boiler-upgrade-scheme-bus-property-owners
Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) extension: summary business case — https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/boiler-upgrade-scheme-bus-extension-summary-business-case
Update on the implementation of air-to-air heat pumps into MCS — https://mcscertified.com/update-on-the-implementation-of-air-to-air-heat-pumps-into-mcs/
MCS Product Directory — filtered to Air to Air Heat Pump (checked 12 September 2026: 81 products) — https://mcscertified.com/product-directory/
Tax on shopping and services — energy-saving products — https://www.gov.uk/tax-on-shopping/energy-saving-products

Last checked 12 September 2026. This page tracks a scheme that changed on 28 April 2026 and whose MCS certification rollout was still in progress at last check — rules and claimability can move. Confirm the current position with an MCS-certified installer before relying on any figure here.