Scotland’s Boiler Scrappage Scheme is still open, but it’ll only stay this way whilst there are vouchers available. In an effort to reduce national carbon levels and help homeowners reduce their bills, the Scottish Government are offering £400 vouchers to take off the cost of a new boiler.

And this scheme should be made the most of. A new boiler won’t just reduce your heating costs, but it’ll ensure your home is kept warm as heat is distributed more efficiently. After all, £400 is a substantial amount, and goes a long way to covering the cost of a new efficient boiler.

Old, inefficient boilers are more likely to breakdown, especially if they’re more than 10-years-old. So not only are you ensuring you’re not caught without heat or hot water, but you’re also avoiding those expensive service and repair bills. These can easily fetch to £200 each time.

Given parts are harder to come by for older boilers; the repairs will be more costly to your budget.

Around 250,000 Scottish homes are fitted with the least efficient types of boiler, which is only wasting hundreds of pounds every year. By upgrading, you’ll slash your bills and can spend that extra money on something worthwhile.

A new boiler will:

• Cut your heating bills

• Keep your home warmer all year round

• Bring up your property’s energy efficiency rating

• Reduce carbon emissions

Applying for the scrappage scheme

To receive your £400 voucher off the price of a new boiler, you need to follow these steps precisely. Otherwise you could find yourself ineligible.

Step one

To be eligible for the boiler scrappage scheme you need to receive a verbal or written quote from a professional installer. They’ll need to be registered with either CLE or SNIPEF, but this brings a range of added benefits.

To make sure you’re receiving the best value for money, we recommend seeking more than one quote. Then you can compare prices and feel sure you’ve selected the right company for the job.

Step two

After you’ve received your quote, you apply directly to the Energy Saving Trust for your voucher.

Step three

The next stage is to actually have the boiler installed. You hire your chosen company to fit the new boiler and pay the full costs yourself.

Step four

Once installed, you complete the voucher and send it back to the Energy Saving Trust. They’ll then redeem you with the £400.

The installation must be completed within 18 weeks of the original boiler quote. Delaying until after this date will make the voucher invalid.

When you’re comparing companies, you should definitely consider SNIPEF registered installers.

This will mean that the boiler installation comes with the free Guarantee of Work Scheme. So if the boiler faults and the company has gone out of business, SNIPEF will correct the problem with no further charge to you.