If you own your home, live in Northern Ireland, and have a gas boiler 15 years old or older, the NIHE Boiler Replacement Scheme can contribute up to £1,700 toward a new condensing combi or system boiler. It’s the main grant for gas-to-gas upgrades in NI.
Here’s what it covers, what it doesn’t, and how it differs from the oil-to-gas switching grants.
The main scheme: NIHE Boiler Replacement
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Maximum grant | £1,700 (income under £40k) / £1,000 (income under £60k) |
| Existing boiler age | 15+ years |
| Homes covered | Owner-occupied in Northern Ireland |
| New boiler type | Condensing gas combi, system, or regular |
| Installer requirement | Gas Safe registered |
| Grant paid to | Installer |
| Typical processing | 6-12 weeks |
Full walkthrough: Boiler Replacement Scheme NI.
Who qualifies (gas-specific version)
- You own the home (not renting, not a landlord applying on a tenant’s behalf)
- Your existing gas boiler is 15+ years old
- Household income under £60,000 gross (£40k threshold for the higher £1,700 amount)
- Your home is in Northern Ireland
- The new boiler is a condensing model meeting minimum efficiency (this is every new boiler on the market by 2026)
If your gas boiler is 10-14 years old: not eligible yet, plan for application at the 15-year mark.
Typical gas boiler replacement maths
| Item | Typical range |
|---|---|
| New combi boiler (Worcester Bosch, Vaillant, Ideal, Baxi) fitted | £2,200-£3,800 |
| System flush (often required for warranty) | £380-£580 |
| MagnaClean filter (recommended) | £80-£120 |
| Smart thermostat (optional but common) | £120-£220 |
| Gross total | £2,780-£4,720 |
| Less NIHE grant (up to £1,700) | |
| Net out-of-pocket | £1,080-£3,020 |
If your boiler is a like-for-like combi swap with no complications, grants can take the net cost under £1,500.
See Gas Boiler Installation for the full service.
Does the scheme cover changing combi type?
Yes. Combi-to-combi, combi-to-system, system-to-combi, regular-to-combi all qualify as long as:
- The original boiler is 15+ years old
- The new boiler is condensing
Larger conversions (regular-to-combi with tank removal) are more expensive gross, so the grant goes less far in percentage terms. See Combi vs system boiler and Combi vs regular boiler for the decision.
What isn’t covered
- Boiler service or repair (that’s Gas Boiler Servicing or Boiler Repair at normal rates)
- New radiators (sometimes covered under a full heating upgrade, case by case)
- New cylinders unless part of a major system conversion
- Smart thermostats (you pay for these separately, typically £120-£220)
Warm Home Discount (in addition, not instead)
Separate from boiler grants: the Warm Home Discount gives £150/year off an electricity bill for qualifying means-tested households. It doesn’t pay for a boiler, but it helps with winter cashflow during a replacement year.
Apply through your electricity supplier directly.
Should you apply now or wait?
If your boiler is:
- 14 years old: wait until it hits 15 to apply. Service it annually in the meantime.
- 15+ years old but working fine: apply now. The boiler doesn’t have to be broken to qualify, and the scheme has lead time.
- 15+ years old and failing: apply immediately. If the boiler dies mid-application, you have options (repair to limp through winter, or self-fund with grant claimed post-install in some cases, check with NIHE).
- Under 10 years old: not eligible. Focus on when should I replace my boiler as a general planning read.
Application lead time
- Spring (March-May): decision in 4-6 weeks, installer booking 2-3 weeks, total 6-9 weeks
- Autumn (September-November): decision in 8-14 weeks, installer booking stretched to 4-6 weeks in peak, total 12-20 weeks
- December-February: install-booking waits can exceed 6 weeks for anyone not on emergency priority
Apply in spring if possible. Winter emergencies are handled by Boiler Repair first.
What we do
We are Gas Safe registered across Belfast, Lisburn, Newtownabbey, Bangor, Ballymena and the surrounding 20-mile radius. Against a confirmed NIHE grant offer:
- Written quote inside 48 hours
- Invoice NIHE directly for the grant portion
- Fit the boiler, commission, register warranty, notify building control
- Issue Gas Safe certificate
Book a survey
Send us your NIHE grant offer letter (if you have one) or your eligibility confirmation, plus the existing boiler make and age. Quote back inside 48 hours.
Related services: Gas Boiler Installation · Gas Boiler Servicing · Boiler Repair
Related guides: Boiler Replacement Scheme NI · Boiler Grants Northern Ireland · When should I replace my boiler · Combi vs system boiler