The local picture
Home energy in Reading
A large share of homes in Reading 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 16,652 of the 76,570 homes in Reading — higher than the average for the South East.
An estimated 7,221 households in Reading (10%) are in fuel poverty — living on a lower income in a home that’s expensive to heat. That’s higher than the South East average of 8.2%, which is why grant funding here is so important.
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 Reading
With so many homes in Reading 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 Reading?
- 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 Reading. Apply online or call 0800 246 1797 and we’ll check your postcode.
FAQs
Grant questions in Reading
Can I get a free boiler in Reading?
Yes — homeowners and private tenants in Reading 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 Reading are off the gas grid?
Around 21.8% of homes in Reading — roughly 16,652 properties — aren’t connected to the gas network, higher than the South East average of 15.6%. 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 Reading?
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.