The UK government has confirmed that heat batteries will be included in the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, giving households more choice when replacing fossil fuel heating systems.
Eligible homeowners in England and Wales will be able to receive a £2,500 Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant towards the installation of a heat battery connected to their central heating system.
The announcement makes an important step forward for low-carbon home heating. It recognises that different homes require different solutions and that heat pumps may not be suitable for every property.
Although the funding has been confirmed, applications of heat battery grants are not yet open. The grant is expected to become available once the necessary regulations, technical standards and consumer protections have been introduced.
What has the government announced?
The government announced in November 2025 that the Boiler Upgrade Scheme would be expanded to support a wider range of low-carbon heating technologies. The changes include:
- A £2,500 grant towards an eligible heat battery installation
- A £2,500 grant towards an eligible air-to-air heat pump
- Further consideration of technologies such as infrared heating and other thermal storage systems.
The expansion is intended to provide households with more choice when moving away from gas, oil and other fossil fuel heating systems.
Are heat batteries included in the Boiler Upgrade Scheme?
Yes. The government has confirmed that eligible heat battery installations will receive £2,500 through the Boiler Upgrade Scheme.
However, the heat battery grant was not available to apply for at the time of the December 2025 announcement.
Before applications can open, the government must finalise the eligibility criteria, product requirements, installation standards and consumer protections that will apply to heat battery systems.
Further guidance for homeowners and installers is expected before the funding becomes available.
What is the Boiler Upgrade Scheme?
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme is a government-funded programme designed to reduce the upfront cost of replacing fossil fuel heating with a low-carbon alternative.
The scheme already provides grants towards technologies including:
- Air source heat pumps
- Ground source heat pumps
- Shared ground loop heat pumps
- Biomass boilers in certain rural properties
The addition of heat batteries will make the scheme accessible to more households, particularly those looking for a low-carbon heating system that works differently from a heat pump.
What is a heat battery?
A heat battery is an energy storage system that uses electricity to generate and store heat. The stored energy can then be released later to provide heating and, depending on the system, hot water.
Some heat batteries use phase-change materials the absorb and release energy as they move between solid and liquid states.
Others, including tepeo’s ZEB, store energy as heat within a solid ceramic core.
Because the energy is stored in advance, a heat battery can charge when electricity is cheaper or when the renewable energy is available on the grid. The stored heat can then be used when the household needs it.
How does a heat battery heat a home?
A whole-home heat battery can connect to a wet central heating system and supply heat to radiators or underfloor heating.
The system charges using electricity and stores that energy as heat. When the thermostat calls for heating, the stored energy is released into the central heating system.
This means a heat battery does not necessarily need to draw electricity at the same time the home requires heat. Instead, it can charge during selected periods, including lower-cost off-peak electricity windows.
Why are heat batteries being added to the scheme?
The UK has a wide variety of homes, from modern new-build properties to older terraces, flats and rural buildings. No single low-carbon heating technology will be suitable for every household.
Heat pumps can be an effective solution for many homes, but some properties may face challenges relating to space, heat demand, outdoor unit placement or the changes needed to the existing heating system.
Heat batteries provide another potential route away from fossil fuels.
For suitable properties, they can offer:
- Whole-home electric heating
- Compatibility with wet central heating systems
- No outdoor unit
- The ability to store heat for later use
- Access to cheaper off-peak electricity tariffs
- Greater flexibility over when electricity is used
Including heat batteries within the Boiler Upgrade Scheme gives households more choice when deciding how to decarbonise their heating.
How much is the Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant for heat batteries?
The government has confirmed that the grant for an eligible heat battery installation will be £2,500.
The grant is intended to reduce the upfront cost of purchasing and installing the system.
Full eligibility criteria, including which products and properties will qualify, had not yet been published in December 2025.
When will the heat battery grant become available?
A confirmed launch date for the heat battery element of the Boiler Upgrade Scheme has not yet been announced.
The funding is expected to open once the government has introduced:
- Approved product and performance standards
- System design requirements
- Installer and installation standards
- Eligibility and application rules
- Appropriate consumer protections
- The regulations required to implement the changes
Homeowners considering a heat battery should check the latest scheme guidance before proceeding with an installation on the assumption that it will qualify for funding.
What does the announcement mean for tepeo and the ZEB?
At tepeo, we welcome the government’s recognition of heat batteries as an important part of the UK’s transition to low-carbon home heating.
The tepeo ZEB is a heat battery boiler that stores electricity as heat within a high-density ceramic core. It releases that stored energy through a home’s radiators or underfloor heating when it is needed.
The ZEB is designed to provide whole-home heating without an outdoor unit. In suitable properties, it can work with the home’s existing wet central heating system, providing a more familiar alternative to a traditional boiler.
It can also charge during lower-cost electricity periods, helping households make better use of smart time-of-use tariffs.
The inclusion of heat batteries within the Boiler Upgrade Scheme is a major milestone for the industry and for households seeking more choice over how they move away from fossil fuel heating.
tepeo will continue to work with government and industry partners as the eligibility rules and technical requirements for the expanded scheme are finalised.
Could a heat battery be suitable for your home?
Heat batteries will not be the right solution for every property, but they could provide a practical low-carbon heating option for suitable homes with a wet central heating system.
Complete the tepeo Home Check to find out whether the ZEB could be suitable for your property and to register your interest in future heat battery funding.
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Update: Heat battery grants expected from winter 2026
March 2026: Heat batteries are expected to become eligible for a £2,500 Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant from winter 2026, once the necessary legislation, product standards and installation requirements are in place.
You don’t have to wait to start your switch to low-carbon heating. Until the government grant becomes available, tepeo is offering its own £2,500 Early Grant Match to eligible customers installing a ZEB heat battery boiler.
The Early Grant Match reduces the upfront cost of the ZEB by the same amount as the future government grant and is available for a limited time, subject to eligibility and offer terms. Complete our Home Check to see whether your property and planned installation could qualify.