Central heating programme

This content applies to Scotland only.

Housing laws vary between Scotland and England. This page applies to Scotland only. Get advice relating to England

The central heating programme provided new or replacement heating systems to people aged 60 or over. The central heating programme is now no longer running. However, if you applied to the programme before 6 April 2009, your application will be processed under the old scheme, as set out on this page.

What is the central heating programme?

The central heating programme is managed by Scottish Gas, in partnership with the Scottish Government. The aim of the programme is to help people aged 60 and over keep their homes warm and reduce their fuel bills.

The central heating programme can provide:

central heating for your main living areas (up to six rooms)
cavity wall insulation
loft, tank and pipe insulation
draught proofing
a smoke alarm, cold alarm and carbon monoxide detector
energy efficient light bulbs
energy advice
an optional benefit entitlement check, to see if you could be claiming any extra benefits.

If you qualify for the central heating programme (see 'who can apply' below), all these services will be provided free of charge.

Who can apply?

In order to qualify for the central heating programme, you and your home must meet certain criteria.

Am I eligible?

You are eligible to apply if you:

are over the age of 60, or
your partner is over the age of 60, and
you live in Scotland, and
you own your home, or
you rent your home from a private landlord and have your landlord's written permission to apply, and
you have lived in your current home for at least a year, and
you intend to live there for at least another year, and
the property is your only or main home, and
you haven't applied to the central heating programme for your current home before.

You can only apply if:

you have never had central heating system
you have a system but it's broken beyond repair and you receive the guaranteed element of pension credit
you have a system but it's broken beyond repair and you are aged 75 or over
you have a partial or inefficient system and you receive the guaranteed element of pension credit
you have a partial or inefficient system and you are aged 80 or over.

If you don't fall into any of these categories, won't be able to apply for the programme at the moment.

The central heating programme is going to be overhauled and relaunched in 2009, so you may be eligible to apply for the new scheme then.

Does my home qualify?

In order to qualify, your home must:

be self-contained (for example, a house or flat but not a room in a shared house), and
have no central heating (the definition of central heating is two or more rooms which are linked to a central boiler, coal fire or electric off peak tariff), or
have a central heating system that is broken beyond repair, and
not be due to be demolished.

In addition, you must agree to have all the necessary work done, not just part of it, and you'll have to let Scottish Gas decide which kind of heating is best for your home.

What if I rent from the council or a housing association?

If you rent from the council or a registered social landlord, you should speak to your landlord if your home does not have central heating or is too cold or damp.

What other services can I get?

In addition to the services listed above (see 'what is the central heating programme'), if you are 80 years old or over, or you are aged 60-79 and you receive the guarantee element of pension credit, you'll also receive help:

coping with day-to-day living while the work is being carried out
moving furniture and putting it back again afterwards
clearing out your loft if you need loft insulation, and putting things back there afterwards.

Who will carry out the work?

All the companies employed to carry out work for the central heating programme are registered with national trade associations such as the Gas Safe Register (for gas) and the NICEIC (for electricity). Their work must comply with national standards, and with Scottish Gas's own quality standards.

Scottish Gas may also send an inspector round to your home, to check that your new heating system is working properly and is safe. They will ensure that any faults which may arise are put right quickly.

How do I protect myself from bogus callers?

Bogus callers pretend to be officials from the council, engineers from gas, electricity or water companies, police officers or salespeople in order to gain access to people's homes and steal money or property. They usually carry fake identity cards and can seem very convincing.

Before anyone from the central heating programme comes round to your home, they will call or write to you to make an appointment. If you like, you can give them a password to use when they come round. They will also have an identity card with their photograph, showing the company they work for. If you're still not sure, look up the company they work for in the phone book and call them to check the person on your doorstep is genuine.

Find out more about protecting yourself from bogus callers.

No-one working for the central heating programme should need to ask for your bank or credit card details.