Why MCS certification matters for the grant
The Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) certifies installation companies and products against technical and quality standards, issues the MCS certificate for each completed installation, and investigates standards issues through its certification bodies. For the Boiler Upgrade Scheme it is not optional: the amendment regulations in force from 28 April 2026 made MCS the only certification the scheme accepts, and GOV.UK tells homeowners to contact MCS-certified installers for quotes.
Ofgem’s guidance adds a second condition: installers working with consumers must also be members of a consumer code approved by the Secretary of State. An installer who is not both cannot apply for your grant — and since the scheme is installer-led, that means no grant at all.
How to search the MCS register
The MCS find an installer tool lets you search two ways:
- By name or certification number — use this to check a company that has already quoted you. The certification number should also appear on their quote or website.
- By technology and location — search a region or distance from an address, and tick the filter “Registered for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme?” to narrow the list.
What each result shows — and what to do with it
| Field on the MCS result | What to check |
|---|---|
| Certification number | Matches the number on the quote. A company quoting a number that does not appear is a stop sign. |
| Technologies | Lists the exact technology you are buying — air source heat pump, ground source heat pump, and so on. Certification is per technology. |
| Boiler Upgrade Scheme Registered | Shows “Yes”. If it says “No”, the company cannot apply for your voucher. |
| Certification body | The organisation that assesses the installer for MCS. Useful if you ever need to raise a technical standards issue. |
| Address and regions covered | The company actually covers your area, and the trading name matches the one on your paperwork. |
It is also worth looking the company up on the Companies House register, to confirm the legal name on the contract matches the certified business and that the company is active.
Consumer codes: RECC, HIES and MCS
Ofgem lists three consumer codes relevant to the scheme: the Renewable Energy Consumer Code (RECC), the Home Insulation & Energy Systems Contractors Scheme (HIES), and MCS itself, whose consumer code was approved by the Secretary of State on 1 June 2026. The codes set standards for how installers deal with consumers — sales practices, contracts and deposits — and give you somewhere to go if a dispute with the installer cannot be resolved. Ask which code the installer belongs to, how any deposit you pay is protected, and what warranty covers the heat pump and the workmanship. More in consumer codes and complaints.
Reading the quote
Ofgem’s guidance says your quote must show the value of the grant and the amount you will pay after it is deducted; if you qualify for the uplift, it should show £9,000. The regulations require the installer to deduct the grant upfront and not ask you to pay that amount unless the application is refused or the voucher revoked. A good quote also itemises the survey, the unit, any cylinder and radiator work, commissioning and the warranty terms, and states the design flow temperature and expected seasonal efficiency. Compare the full price with the official median — £12,908 for air source and £27,232 for ground source in 2026 Q2 — using the calculator below.
Check the quote’s numbers
No details needed. Change any figure to match your own quote or bills. Results are indicative — an MCS installer’s heat-loss survey and written quote are what count.
£5,408
Payable by you on this quote. The grant is deducted on the quote and invoice — you never receive it as cash.
Default quote = the official median installed cost for 2026 Q2 (DESNZ, published 24 September 2026), which includes the grant value. VAT on installing a heat pump in a home is 0% until 31 March 2027, then 5%.
Warning signs
- No MCS certification number, or one you cannot find on the register for the technology quoted.
- A quote showing the full price with no grant deduction, or a request to pay the full amount and “claim the grant back”.
- Pressure to sign on the day, or before you have received and answered Ofgem’s consent email.
- A request for most of the price upfront, before any work.
- No heat-loss survey — a heat pump sized from the old boiler’s output rather than the house.
- Anyone claiming to be from “the government scheme” who contacts you out of the blue. Ofgem does not charge homeowners, and the grant is never paid by you.
Finding heat pump installers near you
The MCS search by technology and location is the most reliable list of installers who can use the scheme in your area. Shortlist two or three, check each against the table above, and ask for a survey. If you would rather not search, our enquiry form passes your details to independent heat pump installers covering your postcode, who then contact you — you still check each one against the table above, compare, and decide. Before you do, the eligibility rules and how the application works are worth five minutes; running costs, including heat-pump tariffs, are in heat pump running costs.
Common shortcuts — and why not to take them
“A big local name must be MCS-certified.”
Check anyway. Certification is held by a company for specific technologies, and it can lapse. The search takes a minute and is the only way to know the company can apply for your grant.
“The installer said they would sort the grant after the job.”
Ofgem allows retrospective applications within 120 days of commissioning, but says they carry additional risk: there is no guarantee the grant will be paid. Ask for the application to be made, and your consent requested, before work starts.
There are legitimate reasons an installer occasionally applies afterwards. The point is to know which you are agreeing to, and to have the contract say what happens if the grant is refused.
“Checking all this is overkill for a heating job.”
It is a £12,908 job at the median, with a grant that only an eligible installer can claim. Five minutes on public registers is proportionate.