Can You Transfer a Heat Pump Grant When Moving?

Moving house is complicated enough. Between estate agents, surveys, and packing cartons, you are unlikely to be thinking about what happens to the approved upgrade of your heating system when you move house, or if you are planning one.

It is a question that is being raised more and more these days, particularly with more people relying on heat pumps because of government-supported schemes for domestic heating: Can you transfer a heat pump grant when moving?

The short answer to this question is no, although the answer to ‘why’ has some important implications, including when you might qualify for a grant following your move.

The following article will explain how air source heat pump grants are awarded under the new ECO4 scheme, and why they are specific to each property.

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Why This Question Comes Up So Often

Heat pump installations are not impulse upgrades. Many households:

• Apply months before work begins
• Move while waiting for approval
• Sell a property mid-application
• Relocate for work or family reasons

Understandably, people assume a grant is tied to them as individuals. But under ECO4, that’s not how funding is structured.

How Heat Pump Grants Actually Work Under ECO4

Heat pump grants provided under ECO4 are neither personal vouchers nor transferable credits.

They are:

• Approved for one specific property
• Based on that property’s EPC rating
• To fix a known inefficiency at such an address.
• Approved only after surveys and assessments

After approval, the money is allocated or locked to:

• The address
• The heating system being replaced
• The circumstances of the house at the point of approval

That explains why it is not possible to transfer a grant to another residence.

Why Grants Cannot Be Transferred When You Move

There are many use cases and reasons for this particular ruling.

1. Grants Are Property-Based, Not Person-Based

Money from ECO4 is available for improving the building, not for rewarding people. A different property has:

• Different heat loss levels
• Different insulation
• Different heating requirements

That which was apt for one family could be totally inappropriate to another.

2. EPC Ratings Are Address-Specific

Each application for a heat pump grant is associated with an EPC rating. If you move:

• The EPC rating changes
• The recommended improvements change
• Eligibility must be reassessed

A grant approved for a poorly rated home cannot legally be applied to a more efficient one.

3. Surveys and Design Work Cannot Be Reused

Before approval, installers assess:

• Outdoor space
• Pipework routes
• Electrical capacity
• Radiator sizing

All of this work becomes invalid once the address changes.

What Happens If You Move Before Installation?

If you move house before any work begins, the grant approval does not follow you.

In most cases:

• The application is cancelled
• No funding is released
• No penalty applies

You cannot redirect the funding to your new address, even if you remain eligible.

What Happens If You Move Before or After Installing a Heat Pump?

Now, with the heat pump in place, the scenario changes. The grant money is already expended, and the system is a part of that property. The system will remain with you when you sell or move.

• The heat pump stays with the house.
• You do not repay the grant
• The new owner benefits from the enhancement

This is common and fully allowed under ECO4.

Does a Heat Pump Add Value When Selling?

Mostly, yes – in older homes and off-grid houses in particular. A professional installation of a heat pump can:

• Improve EPC rating
• Lower running costs
• Make the home more attractive to buyers
• Help meet future energy standards

For many sellers, installing a system before moving improves saleability, even though the grant itself cannot be transferred.

Can the New Homeowner Use the Same Grant Funding?

No. The new owner cannot use or reuse the grant money that was utilised for the project. But:

They inherit the new heating system

• They enjoy lower bills
• These do not include any grant obligations

The funding is considered “spent” once installation is complete.

What If You’re Moving to Another Low-Income Property?

If you move to a new property that is:

• Inefficient
• Poorly heated
• Suitable for a heat pump

Nonetheless, you are still free to reapply – though this time, it will be an entirely new application.

Eligibility will be based on:

• The new property’s EPC rating
• Your household circumstances
• Whether the new dwelling meets ECO4 standards

Previous approvals do not necessarily guarantee future approvals.

What About Private Tenants Who Move?

Private tenants often wonder if a grant can be taken with them when they move. It can’t. Here’s why:

• A grant must have landlord consent
• The heating system is the property of the building
• ECO4 funds enhance residential properties rather than tenancies

In cases where you move to another house for rent, you start all over.

Can a grant award actually “pause” during a move? 

No. If the address changes before actual installation:

• The surveys have to be redone.
• Funding has to be reapplied for

It prevents fraudulence, misappropriation of funds, and inappropriate installations.

When Moving Might Actually Make More Sense

In some cases, waiting to apply can be the smarter choice.

• You’re actively house-hunting
• You expect to move within months
• Your current property is being sold

Early application may mean wasting evaluation time and facing delays.

The One Exception People Often Confuse

Some individuals have confused ECO4 with other non-property-specific financial incentives (such as previous renewable income payments). ECO4 does not operate in that manner.

Heat Pump Grants available under ECO4:

• Are not paid to you
• Are not redeemable elsewhere
• Cannot be converted into cash

Its sole purpose is to finance a particular improvement to a particular address.

Key Takeaway for Homeowners and Renters

You will not be able to transfer the grant for a heat pump if you are relocating. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean that applying for one is worthless if you plan on moving.

If the installation is done before you sell:

• You benefit immediately
• The property gains value
• The upgrade is fully legitimate

If you move first:

• You may still apply again
• Eligibility will be reassessed
• No penalties apply

The Bottom Line

In other words, heat pump schemes aim to make the least energy-efficient housing in the UK more energy-efficient, rather than providing a personal reward for people going from house to house.

Although you cannot move funds with you when relocating, knowledge of how things work is helpful in applying at the right time to avert disappointment. Regardless of whether you are staying or relocating, what matters is when you apply. So, check your eligibility and apply right now!