Heating upgrades
Reliable warmth, better controls and fewer mid-winter surprises. Heating upgrades cover boilers, controls, radiators and storage heaters.
- Typical install
- 1–2 days
- Disruption
- Moderate
- Funding routes
- Common
More reliable warmth through winter
Better control over rooms and timings
Reduced risk of a mid-winter breakdown
Often paired with insulation for best results
The basics
What heating upgrades actually does
Heating upgrades cover boiler replacements, controls, radiators and storage heaters. What is suitable depends on your current system, your property and the fuel available to you.
This is likely to suit you if…
- Your boiler is old, unreliable or has broken down
- You have no working central heating
- You still control heating with a single on/off switch
- Your storage heaters are decades old
Your options
Types of work an installer may recommend
Which option suits you depends on your property's construction, age and condition. A survey confirms what is possible.
Boiler replacement
A like-for-like or upgraded replacement of an existing boiler.
Heating controls
Thermostats, timers and room-by-room control.
Electric storage heating
Modern high-retention storage heaters for homes off the gas grid.
Controls matter as much as the boiler
A modern thermostat and room-by-room control often makes a bigger difference to comfort than the appliance itself — and it is usually included when a system is replaced.
Step by step
How the journey usually runs
- 1
Initial eligibility check
- 2
Heating survey
- 3
Funding confirmation
- 4
Installation and handover
Paying for it
Funding routes that may apply
Funding is never guaranteed. These are the routes most often used for this type of work in the UK.
Energy supplier obligation schemes
Local authority schemes
Charitable and hardship funds
Schemes that can cover heating upgrades
Home Warmth Support Scheme
A sample obligation-style scheme offering insulation and heating improvements to households meeting income or benefit-related criteria.
Who it may suit: Lower-income households and certain benefit recipients in less efficient homes.
InsulationHeatingVentilation
Last reviewed: [Last reviewed date]
Low Carbon Heating Grant
A sample national contribution towards replacing fossil-fuel heating with a low-carbon system such as a heat pump.
Who it may suit: Owner-occupiers and small landlords replacing an existing fossil-fuel heating system.
Heat pumpsHeating
Last reviewed: [Last reviewed date]
Warmer Homes Support (Scotland sample)
A sample Scotland-only programme offering advice, funding and in some cases interest-free loans.
Who it may suit: Scottish households meeting income, benefit or property-condition criteria.
InsulationHeatingHeat pumps
Last reviewed: [Last reviewed date]
Affordable Warmth Support (NI sample)
A sample Northern Ireland programme delivered with councils for lower-income households.
Who it may suit: Northern Ireland households below a defined income threshold.
InsulationHeatingWindows and doors
Last reviewed: [Last reviewed date]
Social Housing Improvement Fund
A sample fund supporting improvements to social housing stock, applied for by the landlord.
Who it may suit: Social landlords improving lower-rated properties. Tenants cannot apply directly.
InsulationSolarHeating
Last reviewed: [Last reviewed date]
Initial results are indicative only. Final eligibility and funding are subject to checks by the relevant scheme, authority, funder or installer.
Be prepared
Questions worth asking an installer
Is my current system repairable rather than replaceable?
What size and type of system suits my home?
How long will I be without heating?
What aftercare is included?
Every installer listed with us is checked for accreditation and insurance before they appear in your matches.
Questions
Common questions
Read next
Related advice
Help with heating costs
Support beyond installation work, and where to look if you are struggling this winter.
4 min read
Choosing a home-improvement installer
Practical questions to ask, and warning signs worth taking seriously.
6 min read
Keep exploring
Other home improvements
See what funding may apply to your home
A free check takes a couple of minutes, never affects your credit score, and shows the schemes and installers relevant to your postcode.