The three conditions
No mains gas connection
The property must not be connected to mains gas. A capped or clamped meter still counts as connected.
Oil or LPG is being replaced
The heat pump, air source or ground source, replaces an oil or LPG heating system. Electric, coal and other fuels do not qualify for this rate.
The application is in the window
Properly made between 21 July 2026 and 31 March 2027. It is the installer's application that must land in time.
All the normal conditions still apply on top: you own the property in England or Wales, it is not a hybrid, and an MCS certified installer applies. GOV.UK describes the higher rate as an extra £1,500 on the standard £7,500.
What "off the gas grid" means for this rate
Ofgem's guidance for property owners sets out its own test. A property counts as off the gas grid only if it is not fuelled by mains gas, has no record of an existing gas meter point, is not attached to a heat network, and is not a new build. The detail people miss is the meter: a capped or clamped supply meter point still counts as mains gas. A rural cottage that once had gas, and still has a capped meter, does not meet the test.
If you are not sure whether a meter point is recorded for your property, raise it with installers at the quote stage. They will need to show the property meets the test in the application.
Who the higher rate does not cover
- Off-grid homes heated by electricity or storage heaters: £7,500.
- Off-grid homes heated by coal or other solid fuel: £7,500.
- Oil or LPG homes with a capped or clamped gas meter: £7,500.
- New builds, even off the grid: excluded from the off-gas definition.
- Air-to-air heat pumps: £2,500, whatever they replace.
- Hybrids that keep an oil or LPG boiler: not covered at all.
The date, and planning around it
The rate is for applications properly made by 31 March 2027. The application is made by the installer after you accept a quote, and then Ofgem asks you to confirm within 14 days. So the date that matters is when the installer submits, not when the heat pump is fitted. Once the voucher is issued, the normal time limits follow: 3 months for air source and 6 for ground source to install, commission and claim.
A home planning to use the higher rate early in 2027 needs a survey and an accepted quote in time for the installer to apply before the end of March. There is no need to rush a decision: the scheme itself runs to 2030, and the standard £7,500 remains if the date passes.
How many homes are using it
Oil and LPG together were the heating replaced in about 21% of grant-funded installations from May 2022 to September 2026 (18% oil, 3% LPG). Since the higher rate opened, demand has risen: of the 25,374 applications received from July to September 2026, 8,107 (32%) were for the £9,000 rate, and September 2026 brought 9,738 applications, the most in any month since the scheme opened (DESNZ).
The yearly budget is first come, first served, so busy months matter. The budget and deadlines guide shows how much was left at the last update.
Which homes qualify: quick cases
Illustrative examples, applying the published conditions:
| Home | Rule that fits | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Farmhouse on oil, never connected to gas, applying in February 2027 | £9,000 | No gas connection, oil replaced, inside the window |
| Village house on LPG with a capped gas meter | £7,500 | A capped meter counts as a connection |
| Off-grid bungalow with storage heaters | £7,500 | Electric heating is not oil or LPG |
| Off-grid cottage on oil, application made in May 2027 | £7,500 | After the 31 March 2027 application date, unless extended |
| Off-grid new build | Not covered | New builds are excluded from the off-gas definition and, in most cases, the scheme |
The checker on this site asks about the gas connection whenever oil or LPG is chosen, because it is the condition most often missed.
Showing the property meets the test
It is the installer's application, so it is the installer who has to show Ofgem that the property meets the off-gas test and that oil or LPG is being replaced. Where the history is clear, such as a farmhouse that has never had a gas supply, that is straightforward. Where it is not, such as a house where a supply was removed years ago, it helps to find any paperwork from the gas network about the removal before you ask for quotes. If the evidence is uncertain, the safer assumption when budgeting is the standard £7,500, with the higher rate as a possible extra if Ofgem accepts it.
If you are not sure whether your home meets all three conditions, the grant checker asks about each one, including the gas connection, and shows which rate the rules point to.
Rules can change by a new notice, so check GOV.UK's what-you-can-get page close to the time your installer applies.
The higher rate sits on top of the scheme's normal conditions, which are set out on who qualifies, and it reaches you the same way as the standard amount, through the installer's application described in how the grant is paid. The grant checker takes you through both in one go.