The short answer for most gas households in 2026: there is no longer a general gas boiler grant in Northern Ireland.
The NIHE Boiler Replacement Scheme, which used to cover gas-to-gas upgrades for owner-occupiers with income under £40,000, closed to new applications on 21 September 2023. Plenty of pages still describe it as open, and some quote a £1,700 grant that was never its closing figure. It paid up to £1,000, and it is not accepting applications.
What remains for gas households is the Affordable Warmth Scheme, which has a much tighter income test.
The live scheme: Affordable Warmth
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Status | Open |
| Income test | Gross household income under £23,000 a year |
| Disregarded income | PIP, DLA, Attendance Allowance, Carer’s Allowance |
| Homes covered | Owner-occupied and some private rented in Northern Ireland |
| Covers | Insulation and heating measures, including boiler replacement |
| Route in | Local council Affordable Warmth team, or the Housing Executive |
| Contractor | Appointed by the scheme, not chosen by you |
Full walkthrough: Affordable Warmth Scheme NI.
Who qualifies (gas-specific version)
- Gross household income under £23,000, with disability benefits disregarded
- Your home is in Northern Ireland
- The property is assessed as needing the measure, on the scheme’s priority order
Note what is not on that list: boiler age. Affordable Warmth works from a survey of the property and its energy efficiency, not from a 15-year rule. An older boiler helps the case but is not the qualifying test the way it was under the closed scheme.
If your household income is between £23,000 and £40,000, you sat inside the old scheme and sit outside the current one. No grant currently applies to you. That gap is under consultation until 19 August 2026: Warm Healthy Homes Fund NI.
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 |
That is the number most households will now pay, because no grant covers them. Better to plan against it honestly than to wait on a scheme that will not arrive.
See Gas Boiler Installation for the full service, and New boiler cost Northern Ireland for the fuller cost picture.
Changing combi type
Combi-to-combi, combi-to-system, system-to-combi and regular-to-combi are all straightforward installs. Larger conversions (regular-to-combi with tank removal) cost more gross. See Combi vs system boiler and Combi vs regular boiler for the decision.
What Affordable Warmth does not cover
Even where you qualify, the scheme is about home energy efficiency, not general plumbing:
- Boiler service or repair (that’s Gas Boiler Servicing or Boiler Repair at normal rates)
- Smart thermostats as a standalone item
- Cosmetic or convenience upgrades
The scheme surveys the property and works to a set priority order, so it may fund insulation ahead of a heating measure if that is where the assessment lands.
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 check Affordable Warmth?
Worth a call to your council if any of these apply:
- Gross household income looks close to £23,000. Check before ruling yourself out, especially if any of it is PIP, DLA, Attendance Allowance or Carer’s Allowance, which are disregarded.
- The house is cold and poorly insulated, not just the boiler failing. The scheme is fabric-led and assesses the whole property.
- You are a pensioner or on means-tested benefits.
Not worth waiting on if your income is clearly over the threshold. Price the job instead, and keep the old boiler serviced until you replace it: when should I replace my boiler.
Free impartial advice
NI Energy Advice Line: 0800 111 44 55. Independent and free. The right first call if you are unsure whether you qualify, ahead of any installer including us.
What we do
We are an introducer service. We connect you with independent Gas Safe registered engineers across Belfast, Lisburn, Newtownabbey, Bangor, Ballymena and the surrounding 20-mile radius. The engineer quotes you directly, holds the contract, fits and commissions the boiler, notifies building control, registers the warranty and issues the Gas Safe certificate.
We do not administer any grant scheme and cannot influence an application. Where Affordable Warmth applies, the scheme appoints its own contractor.
Get a quote
Send us the existing boiler make and age plus your postcode, and we will arrange a written quote from an independent Gas Safe registered engineer.
Related services: Gas Boiler Installation · Gas Boiler Servicing · Boiler Repair
Related guides: Affordable Warmth Scheme NI · Boiler Grants Northern Ireland · Boiler Replacement Scheme NI · New boiler cost Northern Ireland
Sources
- Department for Communities, Closure of Boiler Replacement Scheme (21 September 2023)
- NI Housing Executive, Affordable Warmth Scheme