What is the Warm Homes Plan?

The Warm Homes Plan is the UK government's home energy upgrade programme, published 20 January 2026 and updated 18 March 2026 — it's current policy, not a future proposal. It commits £15 billion of public investment towards upgrading up to 5 million homes, funds the Boiler Upgrade Scheme with £2.7 billion, and for air conditioning specifically introduces a £2,500 grant towards reversible air-to-air heat pumps that can heat and cool — in force in law since 28 April 2026, though claims have not opened yet and no date has been given. The £15 billion and 5-million-home figures are programme-wide totals — they aren't money available to an individual household.

Does the Warm Homes Plan pay for air conditioning?

No, not for air conditioning itself. It provides for £2,500 towards a reversible air-to-air heat pump that replaces your home's heating system and happens to also provide cooling — though claims have not opened yet, because MCS certification for the technology is incomplete — the government's own wording is that it supports 'active cooling via air-to-air heat pumps'. A standard cooling-only air conditioner, bought purely to cool a room, is not eligible for any grant under the plan.

How much is the air-to-air heat pump grant, and can I claim it yet?

The grant is £2,500, introduced by the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (England and Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2026 (SI 2026/390), in force since 28 April 2026 — that part is settled law. But as of 12 September 2026, claims have not opened: MCS certification for the air-to-air heat pump technology itself is still incomplete, and no date has been given for when it will finish. The MCS Product Directory lists 81 air-to-air products (16 from GD Midea, certified from 13 May 2026; 65 from Daikin Europe, certified from 28 July 2026), but a product being listed is not the same as the grant being claimable. Ask any installer directly whether they can raise an MCS certificate and claim the grant on your job today.

Does the government support cooling as well as heating?

Yes, but specifically through reversible air-to-air heat pumps, not through air conditioning grants. The Warm Homes Plan states it 'also support[s] active cooling via air-to-air heat pumps as recently confirmed in the expansion of the BUS', and England's permitted development rules have been amended to allow air source heat pumps 'used for cooling as well as heating' to qualify. The support is for a system that heats your home and can also cool it — a cooling-only air conditioner is not covered.

What happened to ECO4?

ECO4, the current phase of the Energy Company Obligation, runs until 31 December 2026, following Ofgem's nine-month extension. The Warm Homes Plan states the Energy Company Obligation 'will be coming to an end', and there's no ECO5 announced to replace it. This isn't directly about air conditioning — ECO funds insulation and heating measures for eligible households — but it's part of the same policy shift towards the Boiler Upgrade Scheme and Warm Homes Loan Scheme as the primary support routes.

Do I need planning permission for an air-to-air heat pump?

It depends where you live and the specifics of your property. In England only, the permitted development right for air source heat pumps has been amended to allow siting within 1 metre of the boundary, a larger 1.5m³ size limit for houses, up to 2 units on detached properties, and units 'used for cooling as well as heating' — so air-to-air heat pumps can benefit. Other conditions and exclusions apply, and Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland aren't covered by this change. Confirm your specific case with your local planning authority.

Is the Warm Homes Plan a future scheme or is it already in effect?

It's already in effect. The plan was published 20 January 2026 and updated 18 March 2026, and the £2,500 air-to-air grant regulation has been law since 28 April 2026. What's still pending is the MCS certification needed to actually claim that specific grant — the plan overall, including its funding commitments and the permitted development changes, is live policy now, not something scheduled for later.

What is the Warm Homes Plan?

The Warm Homes Plan is the UK government's home energy upgrade programme, published 20 January 2026 and updated 18 March 2026 — it's current policy, not a future proposal. It commits £15 billion of public investment towards upgrading up to 5 million homes, funds the Boiler Upgrade Scheme with £2.7 billion, and for air conditioning specifically introduces a £2,500 grant towards reversible air-to-air heat pumps that can heat and cool — in force in law since 28 April 2026, though claims have not opened yet and no date has been given. The £15 billion and 5-million-home figures are programme-wide totals — they aren't money available to an individual household.

Does the Warm Homes Plan pay for air conditioning?

No, not for air conditioning itself. It provides for £2,500 towards a reversible air-to-air heat pump that replaces your home's heating system and happens to also provide cooling — though claims have not opened yet, because MCS certification for the technology is incomplete — the government's own wording is that it supports 'active cooling via air-to-air heat pumps'. A standard cooling-only air conditioner, bought purely to cool a room, is not eligible for any grant under the plan.

How much is the air-to-air heat pump grant, and can I claim it yet?

The grant is £2,500, introduced by the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (England and Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2026 (SI 2026/390), in force since 28 April 2026 — that part is settled law. But as of 12 September 2026, claims have not opened: MCS certification for the air-to-air heat pump technology itself is still incomplete, and no date has been given for when it will finish. The MCS Product Directory lists 81 air-to-air products (16 from GD Midea, certified from 13 May 2026; 65 from Daikin Europe, certified from 28 July 2026), but a product being listed is not the same as the grant being claimable. Ask any installer directly whether they can raise an MCS certificate and claim the grant on your job today.

Does the government support cooling as well as heating?

Yes, but specifically through reversible air-to-air heat pumps, not through air conditioning grants. The Warm Homes Plan states it 'also support[s] active cooling via air-to-air heat pumps as recently confirmed in the expansion of the BUS', and England's permitted development rules have been amended to allow air source heat pumps 'used for cooling as well as heating' to qualify. The support is for a system that heats your home and can also cool it — a cooling-only air conditioner is not covered.

What happened to ECO4?

ECO4, the current phase of the Energy Company Obligation, runs until 31 December 2026, following Ofgem's nine-month extension. The Warm Homes Plan states the Energy Company Obligation 'will be coming to an end', and there's no ECO5 announced to replace it. This isn't directly about air conditioning — ECO funds insulation and heating measures for eligible households — but it's part of the same policy shift towards the Boiler Upgrade Scheme and Warm Homes Loan Scheme as the primary support routes.

Do I need planning permission for an air-to-air heat pump?

It depends where you live and the specifics of your property. In England only, the permitted development right for air source heat pumps has been amended to allow siting within 1 metre of the boundary, a larger 1.5m³ size limit for houses, up to 2 units on detached properties, and units 'used for cooling as well as heating' — so air-to-air heat pumps can benefit. Other conditions and exclusions apply, and Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland aren't covered by this change. Confirm your specific case with your local planning authority.

Is the Warm Homes Plan a future scheme or is it already in effect?

It's already in effect. The plan was published 20 January 2026 and updated 18 March 2026, and the £2,500 air-to-air grant regulation has been law since 28 April 2026. What's still pending is the MCS certification needed to actually claim that specific grant — the plan overall, including its funding commitments and the permitted development changes, is live policy now, not something scheduled for later.

What does the Warm Homes Plan mean for air conditioning?

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

The government’s Warm Homes Plan (published 20 January 2026, updated 18 March 2026) backs a £2,500 grant for reversible air-to-air heat pumps that heat your home and can also cool it — not for air conditioning as such. That grant has been in force in law since 28 April 2026, but claims have not yet opened because MCS certification for the technology is still incomplete. A cooling-only air conditioner is not eligible for any part of this plan.

The Warm Homes Plan, for air conditioning readers

Measure	Value	Status (12 Sep 2026)
Air-to-air heat pump grant (heats + cools)	£2,500	Law since 28 Apr 2026 — claims not yet open
Hydronic heat pump grant (Boiler Upgrade Scheme)	£7,500	Open now
Permitted development change (England only)	N/A	In force — conditions apply
ECO4 (Energy Company Obligation)	Running down	Ends 31 Dec 2026 — no ECO5 announced
Cooling-only air conditioner	£0	Not eligible under this plan

Source: gov.uk — Warm Homes Plan (HTML). Full grant rules and claim status are in our air conditioning grant guide.

What the Warm Homes Plan does and doesn’t do for air conditioning

✅ Backs a £2,500 grant for reversible air-to-air heat pumps that replace your home’s heating and can also cool it, via the Boiler Upgrade Scheme.
✅ Explicitly supports cooling — the plan states it supports “active cooling via air-to-air heat pumps”, and permitted development in England now covers units “used for cooling as well as heating”.
✅ Is current, in-force policy — published 20 January 2026, updated 18 March 2026, not a future scheme.
✅ Funds the wider transition — £15 billion of public investment, up to 5 million homes, £2.7 billion into the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, £90 million into the heat pump supply chain, plus a Warm Homes Loan Scheme. These are programme totals, not money handed to any one household.
❌ Does not pay for air conditioning as a category. A cooling-only unit — portable or a standard fixed split system that isn’t replacing your heating — gets nothing.
❌ Does not make the £2,500 claimable today. The regulation is law; MCS certification for the technology isn’t finished, and no date has been given for it.
❌ Does not change planning rules outside England. The permitted development amendment applies in England only.

The gap between “law” and “claimable”

The £2,500 grant is real, but not yet claimable

It’s easy to read “in force since 28 April 2026” and assume you can claim the grant on a quote today. You can’t, yet. The regulation making air-to-air heat pumps eligible is settled law, but the £2,500 only pays out once MCS certification for the air-to-air technology itself is complete — and as of 12 September 2026, that step still isn’t finished, with no date given for when it will be. Products are being certified (the MCS Product Directory lists 81 air-to-air products at last check), but a certified product is not the same as a claimable grant.

The full breakdown of eligibility, the claim process, and how to check an installer’s current status is in our air conditioning grant guide.

Planning permission: the England-only change

Alongside the grant, the Warm Homes Plan amended the permitted development right for air source heat pumps in England — allowing siting within 1 metre of the boundary, a larger 1.5m³ size limit for houses, up to 2 units on detached properties, and, importantly, units “used for cooling as well as heating”, so air-to-air heat pumps can benefit from the same right. This applies in England only, it’s a set of conditions rather than a blanket exemption, and other restrictions and exclusions can still apply to a specific property. See our full planning permission guide for the detail, and confirm your own case with your local planning authority.

ECO4 is winding down, with no ECO5 announced

The Warm Homes Plan states the Energy Company Obligation “will be coming to an end”. ECO4, the current phase, runs until 31 December 2026 — Ofgem confirms it “applies to measures installed from 1 April 2022 and will run until 31 December 2026, following a nine-month extension”. There is no ECO5. ECO doesn’t fund air conditioning or air-to-air heat pumps directly, but its wind-down is part of the same shift towards the Boiler Upgrade Scheme and the Warm Homes Loan Scheme as the government’s primary support routes going forward.

Weighing up a reversible air-to-air heat pump?

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F-Gas and MCS installers: get told when claims open

We track the Warm Homes Plan’s MCS status for the trade. Join our installer network — for F-Gas certified air conditioning installers and MCS heat pump installers — to get told the moment air-to-air grant claims open.

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More on the Warm Homes Plan and air conditioning

Is there a grant for air conditioning in the UK? — full eligibility and claim status →

Do you need planning permission for air conditioning? →

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

0% VAT on heat pumps — when it ends →

FAQ

The Warm Homes Plan and air conditioning — frequently asked questions

What is the Warm Homes Plan?: The Warm Homes Plan is the UK government's home energy upgrade programme, published 20 January 2026 and updated 18 March 2026 — it's current policy, not a future proposal. It commits £15 billion of public investment towards upgrading up to 5 million homes, funds the Boiler Upgrade Scheme with £2.7 billion, and for air conditioning specifically introduces a £2,500 grant towards reversible air-to-air heat pumps that can heat and cool — in force in law since 28 April 2026, though claims have not opened yet and no date has been given. The £15 billion and 5-million-home figures are programme-wide totals — they aren't money available to an individual household.
Does the Warm Homes Plan pay for air conditioning?: No, not for air conditioning itself. It provides for £2,500 towards a reversible air-to-air heat pump that replaces your home's heating system and happens to also provide cooling — though claims have not opened yet, because MCS certification for the technology is incomplete — the government's own wording is that it supports 'active cooling via air-to-air heat pumps'. A standard cooling-only air conditioner, bought purely to cool a room, is not eligible for any grant under the plan.
How much is the air-to-air heat pump grant, and can I claim it yet?: The grant is £2,500, introduced by the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (England and Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2026 (SI 2026/390), in force since 28 April 2026 — that part is settled law. But as of 12 September 2026, claims have not opened: MCS certification for the air-to-air heat pump technology itself is still incomplete, and no date has been given for when it will finish. The MCS Product Directory lists 81 air-to-air products (16 from GD Midea, certified from 13 May 2026; 65 from Daikin Europe, certified from 28 July 2026), but a product being listed is not the same as the grant being claimable. Ask any installer directly whether they can raise an MCS certificate and claim the grant on your job today.
Does the government support cooling as well as heating?: Yes, but specifically through reversible air-to-air heat pumps, not through air conditioning grants. The Warm Homes Plan states it 'also support[s] active cooling via air-to-air heat pumps as recently confirmed in the expansion of the BUS', and England's permitted development rules have been amended to allow air source heat pumps 'used for cooling as well as heating' to qualify. The support is for a system that heats your home and can also cool it — a cooling-only air conditioner is not covered.
What happened to ECO4?: ECO4, the current phase of the Energy Company Obligation, runs until 31 December 2026, following Ofgem's nine-month extension. The Warm Homes Plan states the Energy Company Obligation 'will be coming to an end', and there's no ECO5 announced to replace it. This isn't directly about air conditioning — ECO funds insulation and heating measures for eligible households — but it's part of the same policy shift towards the Boiler Upgrade Scheme and Warm Homes Loan Scheme as the primary support routes.
Do I need planning permission for an air-to-air heat pump?: It depends where you live and the specifics of your property. In England only, the permitted development right for air source heat pumps has been amended to allow siting within 1 metre of the boundary, a larger 1.5m³ size limit for houses, up to 2 units on detached properties, and units 'used for cooling as well as heating' — so air-to-air heat pumps can benefit. Other conditions and exclusions apply, and Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland aren't covered by this change. Confirm your specific case with your local planning authority.
Is the Warm Homes Plan a future scheme or is it already in effect?: It's already in effect. The plan was published 20 January 2026 and updated 18 March 2026, and the £2,500 air-to-air grant regulation has been law since 28 April 2026. What's still pending is the MCS certification needed to actually claim that specific grant — the plan overall, including its funding commitments and the permitted development changes, is live policy now, not something scheduled for later.

Sources & cited data

Warm Homes Plan (HTML) — https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/warm-homes-plan/warm-homes-plan-html
Families to save in biggest home upgrade plan in British history — https://www.gov.uk/government/news/families-to-save-in-biggest-home-upgrade-plan-in-british-history
Energy Company Obligation (ECO) — https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/environmental-and-social-schemes/energy-company-obligation-eco

Last checked 12 September 2026. This page tracks a plan that changed on 18 March 2026 and whose MCS certification rollout for air-to-air heat pumps 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.