The Northern Ireland Boiler Replacement Scheme is administered by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive (NIHE). Applications open in waves through the year and there’s a finite annual budget, so timing the application matters as much as filling it in correctly. This guide walks through where to find the form, what information you need ready, and the mistakes that reject otherwise-eligible homeowners.
Where to find the application form
The form is hosted on the NI Direct site and the NIHE customer portal. Search “Boiler Replacement Scheme NI” on nidirect.gov.uk for the current entry point. The scheme is sometimes paused mid-year if the annual budget exhausts, so the application link disappears when the scheme is closed and reappears when funding refreshes (typically April, occasionally a top-up later in the year).
We’re not the scheme administrator. PlumbersNI is an OFTEC and Gas Safe registered installer that fits scheme-approved boilers. The application itself goes directly to NIHE; we handle the install once the grant offer is in your hand.
What you’ll need before starting the form
Have these to hand. Missing any one of them is the most common cause of stalled applications.
| Item | What it proves |
|---|---|
| Council tax bill or rates bill in your name | Owner-occupier status |
| Photo ID (driving licence or passport) | Identity |
| Two most recent payslips, OR | Income (employed) |
| Most recent tax return / accounts | Income (self-employed) |
| Most recent benefits letter | Income (benefits) |
| Property age or build year | Eligibility (scheme has a minimum property age in some years) |
| Boiler make, model and approximate install year | Confirms existing boiler is 15+ years |
| Photo of the existing boiler nameplate | Same |
| Bank account for direct grant payment to installer | Payment routing |
The boiler nameplate photo is the one applicants miss most. Take it before you fill in the form; the metal plate is usually on the side or underneath of the case and lists the model number and serial, sometimes with a date of manufacture.
Income thresholds (2026)
The scheme pays at two tiers based on household income. Thresholds shift year to year, so verify against the current NIHE page, but the 2026 rates as published are:
| Household income | Maximum grant |
|---|---|
| Under £23,000 (low income tier) | £1,700 |
| £23,000 to £40,200 (standard tier) | £1,000 |
| Above £40,200 | Not eligible |
Household income means the combined income of all adults who live at the property and contribute to running costs. A working-age adult son or daughter living at home, contributing to bills, counts. A non-contributing dependent doesn’t.
Step-by-step: filling in the form
- Open the form on the NI Direct page. It runs to roughly twenty fields plus the document uploads.
- Personal details. Your name, address, contact number, email. Use the address as it appears on your rates bill, not abbreviated.
- Property details. Build year (estimate is fine), property type (detached, semi, terrace, bungalow, flat), number of bedrooms. Approximate, the form isn’t checked against deeds.
- Existing boiler details. Brand, model number, install year. The nameplate photo confirms this.
- Income declaration. Tick the tier and upload the proof document for the most recent month.
- Confirmation of owner-occupier. You confirm you are the owner and live in the property. Landlords and second-home owners are not eligible.
- Installer preference. Optional. You can name a preferred installer (must be Gas Safe or OFTEC registered) or leave blank and select after the grant offer arrives.
- Declaration and submission. Read the declaration, tick the box, submit.
Save a copy of the submission confirmation email. It carries your reference number, which you’ll quote on every follow-up call.
What happens after you submit
| Stage | Typical timeline |
|---|---|
| Acknowledgement email | Within 48 hours |
| Initial review by NIHE | 2-4 weeks |
| Surveyor visit (if required) | 4-8 weeks from submission |
| Grant offer letter | 6-12 weeks from submission |
| Installer quote and accept | 1-2 weeks from offer |
| Install and grant payment | 2-6 weeks from accept |
Total time from application to a new boiler running: typically 12-20 weeks. Apply in spring or early summer for installation in autumn; don’t wait until December when budgets are usually exhausted and waiting lists are longest.
Common mistakes that reject applications
The patterns we see week in, week out:
- Boiler age understated. The nameplate photo shows a 2014 manufacture date but the applicant writes “about 10 years old”. 2014 is over 11 years now, so this would still qualify, but the photo and the typed answer disagree and the application stalls until clarified. Get the year right.
- Income proof too old. A payslip from six months ago is too old. NIHE wants the most recent two months at submission.
- Property not owner-occupied at the address on the rates bill. Sometimes the bill is in a partner’s name only. Rates bill name must match the application name, or you’ll need a joint name update with Land & Property Services first.
- Existing boiler is gas but the property is in a no-gas area in the records. Rare but happens with older oil-to-gas conversions that weren’t noted on NIHE records. A letter from your gas supplier confirming connection date resolves it.
- Asking for a brand the scheme doesn’t approve. The scheme covers any condensing boiler meeting minimum efficiency, but a specific high-end brand quote may exceed the grant + your contribution. Standard Grant Vortex, Warmflow Utility or Worcester Greenstar installs almost always price within scheme expectations.
- Submitting during a paused window. If the application portal is showing “scheme closed”, any form submitted is held and will be reviewed when the next funding round opens. Better to wait and submit fresh than have a stale application in the queue.
Can an installer help with the application?
We can talk you through it on the phone and confirm whether your existing boiler qualifies (15+ years is the most common requirement, sometimes with a minimum property age too). We cannot submit the form on your behalf, NIHE requires the homeowner to submit personally.
What we do once your grant offer arrives:
- Survey your property and quote the install within the grant terms.
- Liaise with NIHE on installer requirements (OFTEC and Gas Safe registrations are pre-verified).
- Confirm the grant payment routing on your behalf.
- Schedule the install within the offer window (usually 12 weeks from offer date).
- Provide all certification (Gas Safe or OFTEC, Building Control notification, manufacturer warranty registration) that NIHE requires to release the grant.
What if you’re not eligible
If your household income is above £40,200 or your existing boiler is under 15 years old, you’re outside the scheme. Other routes:
- NI Sustainable Energy Programme (NISEP), administered by energy suppliers (Power NI, SSE Airtricity, Budget Energy, Click Energy). Income-tested, different thresholds. Covers boilers and insulation.
- Affordable Warmth, run through local councils. Targets lower-income households with broader eligibility on benefits receipt.
- Phoenix Natural Gas or Firmus Energy connection grants if you’re switching from oil to gas. Subsidises the service connection, not the boiler itself, but stacks with other grants. See the Phoenix Natural Gas grants guide.
- Manufacturer interest-free finance via Worcester, Ideal and Vaillant approved installers. Not a grant but a way of spreading the cost over 24-60 months.
Full overview of all NI boiler grants on the Boiler grants in Northern Ireland guide.
Want help working out which route fits?
Send your situation (boiler age, brand if known, household income band, gas or oil at the property) and we’ll point you at the scheme that pays the most for your circumstances. No sales call, just the facts. See the Boiler Replacement Scheme NI guide for the scheme overview, or the Oil to Gas Conversion service if you’re considering a switch.