The local picture
Home energy in Dorset
A large share of homes in Dorset are off the gas grid, typically heated by oil, LPG or electric heaters. These are some of the most expensive ways to heat a home — and exactly what heat pump and off-gas grants are designed to replace.
That’s about 42,506 of the 185,720 homes in Dorset — lower than the average for the South West.
An estimated 17,499 households in Dorset (9.8%) are in fuel poverty — living on a lower income in a home that’s expensive to heat. That’s in line with the South West average of 9.9%.
Sources: DESNZ, Sub-national estimates of properties not connected to the gas network, 2024 data (published December 2025); DESNZ, Sub-regional fuel poverty data 2026 (2024 data), Low Income Low Energy Efficiency measure.
What’s available
Grants you could get in Dorset
With so many homes in Dorset off mains gas, heat pump funding is often the biggest opportunity — but we’ll check every scheme you could qualify for.
Eligibility
Who can apply in Dorset?
- You own your home or rent it privately (with your landlord’s permission)
- Your heating is old, inefficient or not on mains gas — or you have no central heating
- Someone in your household receives a qualifying benefit, or your income or postcode qualifies through local criteria
- For heat pumps: you’re replacing oil, gas, LPG or electric heating (not means-tested)
Not sure? Just ask.
Rules differ between schemes, and some depend on where you live in Dorset. Apply online or call 0800 246 1797 and we’ll check your postcode.
FAQs
Grant questions in Dorset
Can I get a free boiler in Dorset?
Yes — homeowners and private tenants in Dorset can apply for government-backed funding. Eligibility usually depends on your heating system and household circumstances, such as receiving certain benefits, and in some areas your income or postcode. A quick application tells us what you could be entitled to.
How many homes in Dorset are off the gas grid?
Around 22.9% of homes in Dorset — roughly 42,506 properties — aren’t connected to the gas network, lower than the South West average of 24.2%. These homes can often get extra support, including up to £9,000 towards a heat pump where the Boiler Upgrade Scheme applies.
Can I get a heat pump grant in Dorset?
Yes. The Boiler Upgrade Scheme gives £7,500 towards an air or ground source heat pump, plus an extra £1,500 until March 2027 for homes heated by oil or LPG with no mains gas connection. It isn’t means-tested.