So who can apply for the RHI?
Individuals who own their own property and reside within England, Wales or Scotland can apply for installations at their primary residence. Please note that this scheme does not apply to residents of Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man or the Channel Islands. If you rent your property privately, approach your landlord as you may need to work with them to apply for the scheme.
Payments will apply to single domestic dwellings and will be open to:
- Owner-occupiers
- Private landlords
- Registered Providers of Social Housing
- Third party owners of heating systems
- Self-builders
What are the eligibility criteria for the RHI?
The main criteria are as follows:
- Applicants must be the owners of or reside in the property for which the grant is applied (alternatively applicants who have leasehold ownership or tenancy occupation must have permission from the property freeholder) and it must be their primary residence.
- For heating systems other than solar thermal, this must be the main heating system in the house.
- The installation address must be situated in England, Scotland or Wales (the scheme is not available to addresses in Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands) and must be the applicant?s primary residence or a property occupied for the majority of the year.
- Eligible technologies are Solar Thermal Hot Water, Air to water source Heat Pumps,Ground Source Heat Pumps, water to water heat pumps and biomass fuelled boilers (eg wood or wood pellet). Air to air heat pumps, wood fuelled stoves (unless they are part of a system with a back boiler) and bioliquid fuelled systems are not eligible for this scheme.
- Solar Thermal Hot Water systems will be available to all householders.
- For other technologies applicants must not currently use mains gas supply for their heating system.
- Applicants must use a Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) certificated installer and product or equivalent. Please see www.microgenerationcertification.org for more details.
- Renewable heating systems must supply a permanent residential building (mobile homes, caravans, house boats and systems heating swimming pools only are not eligible).
- Basic energy efficiency measures must have been installed at the installation address (loft insulation up to 250mm where appropriate, cavity wall insulation where practicable).
More information can be found on the Energy Saving Trust’s website www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/RHPP or call your local Energy Saving Trust advice centre on 0800 512 012. Applicants must have received all relevant permissions for the installation including planning permission where required. If in doubt, please confirm with your local authority whether planning permission is required.
