The GOV.UK grant schemes checked for this guide fund heating and insulation, not cooling. The one exception is the Boiler Upgrade Scheme. It gives £2,500 towards an air-to-air heat pump for an eligible owner replacing fossil fuel or electric heating. Other schemes, such as ECO, focus on insulation and boilers instead.
The short answer
None of the GOV.UK schemes checked here funds air conditioning bought for cooling. What exists is narrower. The Boiler Upgrade Scheme pays towards an air-to-air heat pump, not a unit bought for cooling alone. A cool-only unit fitted for summer relief does not qualify.
That gap matters more than it first sounds. Energy Saving Trust notes that air-to-air heat pumps are sometimes called air conditioning. They can also be set up to cool as well as heat. Air conditioning vs heat pump: what’s the difference explains how the two overlap. The sections below set out what the scheme covers, and what other schemes do and don’t reach.
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme and air-to-air eligibility
GOV.UK states the Boiler Upgrade Scheme gives £2,500 towards an air-to-air heat pump. It runs in England and Wales. It comes with rules, rather than applying to any job by default.
You must own the home. The unit must also replace a fossil fuel or electric heating system, such as an oil, gas, LPG or electric setup. It cannot simply add cooling to a home that already heats itself another way.
Finally, the installer doing the work must be MCS certified, since one without that status cannot claim the grant for you.
Ofgem adds one more rule that matters here. The installer must size the heat pump to meet the full space heating needs of the property. Air-to-air grants are also for homes only, not business premises. Since those rules rule out a plain summer-cooling job, check them before assuming a quote will include the grant.
Other schemes worth checking
The Energy Company Obligation (ECO) is a different scheme. GOV.UK describes it as help with insulation work, such as a loft or cavity wall. It also covers replacing or repairing a boiler, or other heating upgrades. However, the GOV.UK page does not list air conditioning.
The Great British Insulation Scheme has ended; GOV.UK says installations had to be complete by 31 March 2026. Meanwhile, the Warm Homes: Local Grant runs in England only. Its GOV.UK page lists insulation, air source heat pumps, smart controls and solar panels, but not air conditioning.
Treat the Boiler Upgrade Scheme as the one confirmed route. Treat everything else as worth a direct check before you rely on it.
It is also worth asking early whether a job even qualifies for anything at all. A rented home is the clearest example, since the Boiler Upgrade Scheme sits with the owner. GOV.UK includes a property rented out to tenants, so the landlord can go ahead, while a tenant cannot claim it.
Air-to-air vs air-to-water, and why it matters
The type of heat pump decides which grant, if any, applies. An air-to-air heat pump warms the air inside the building, rather than heating water in radiators. It is the type the Boiler Upgrade Scheme’s £2,500 figure covers.
An air-to-water heat pump is a different job. It heats water for radiators or underfloor heating instead. The scheme also gives a larger grant towards one than the £2,500 for air-to-air. Our HVAC explainer sets out where each type sits within the wider mix of heating and cooling kit.
Confirm which type a quote describes early on, since it changes both the price and any grant that might apply. The cost guide for a new system covers what a fitted system typically costs before any grant is applied.
How the grant compares to the cost of a system
GOV.UK says the grant comes off the amount you pay for installation, and it shows on the quote and invoice. For scale, a single-split system for one room typically costs around £1,500 to £3,000 fitted (UK cost guides, 2026). The exact price depends on the room, pipe run and access.
However, a one-room unit is not what the grant is for. The heat pump must meet the whole home’s space heating needs, so a qualifying job is usually larger. Our cost guide breaks the one-room range down by what moves the price, such as the pipe run.
Since a cool-only unit gets no grant at all, weigh the two paths honestly. A whole-home air-to-air system replacing old heating may qualify for the £2,500. Still, a unit bought only to cool one room will not.
How to apply
GOV.UK says the installer applies for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant on your behalf, and that installer must be MCS certified. That happens as part of quoting and fitting the job. Ofgem will then contact you to confirm the installer is acting for you.
The practical starting point is still a quote. Ask the installer to confirm both whether the job qualifies and what paperwork it needs. Planning rules can also affect a heat pump job, so air conditioning planning permission: UK rules explained is worth reading too.
Getting a straight answer for your property
Our air conditioning installation service covers the South West. That includes installation in Gloucester, air conditioning installation in Cheltenham, our Bath installation page and installation in Taunton.
One enquiry puts you in touch with one pre-qualified installer for this job. It is free, with no obligation.
Send your details through our contact page. The installer matched to your enquiry can then confirm whether your job qualifies — get in touch.
