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£50m 'boiler tax back' campaign

£50m 'boiler tax back' campaign
Woman shocked at the cost of household bills

We reunite households with their lost £120 'boiler tax' refund

Boiler prices were increased from 1 Jan 2024 to cover a 'boiler tax' that has since been scrapped. We help you request a refund from your boiler manufacturer or installer.

In this guide

  1. Why am I due a refund?
  2. How much can I claim?
  3. Five steps to requesting a refund

1) Why am I due a refund?

Over the start of this year, Britain's top boiler manufacturers - Baxi, Ideal, Worcester Bosch and Vaillant/Glow worm - increased the price of all their boilers in anticipation of fines they might incur under a new Government policy to increase the sale of heat pumps.

The Government has accused the boiler manufacturers of ‘price gouging’ (increasing the price of goods by unfair amounts) and referred them to the Competition and Markets Authority for investigation.

Nevertheless, the Government has agreed to defer the policy for one year, meaning that the boiler manufacturers will not now incur any fines this year.

With estimated sales of 500,000 boilers over the period, boiler manufacturers have generated an extra £50 million in revenue.

At a time when households are still struggling to pay their heating bills, we are calling on boiler manufacturers to proactively contact customers they know to have had a boiler fitted sense 1st January and help them arrange a refund.

2) How much can I claim?

As many as half a million households are entitled to a £95-£120 refund from their boiler manufacturer if their boiler was fitted after 1st January 2024.

We are encouraging households to approach their manufacturer or their installer to enquire about a refund. The amount you can claim depends on the boiler manufacturer (as set out below) and maybe higher if this figure had VAT added on at 20%.

  • Worcester Bosch - £120 (£144 incl VAT)
  • Vaillant/Glow worm - £95 (114 incl VAT)
  • Baxi - £120 (£144 incl VAT)
  • Ideal - £110 (£133 inc VAT)

If you used a local installer or your installation company made no mention of the extra cost, it is likely they paid a higher price for the boiler from their supplier that was passed onto you. NB some installation companies such as BOXT did not pass this cost on.

3) Five steps to requesting a refund:

1. Check who made your boiler:

It has to be: Baxi, Ideal, Worcester Bosch, Vaillant or Glow worm

2) Ask your installer for a refund

Installers buy their boilers from plumbers merchants. Wolsely and City Plumbing, two of the biggest UK distributors of boilers, have announced it will be refunding the boiler tax to their customers (your installer) automatically. Which means you can ask your installer for a refund. Your installer may have used a different plumbers merchants and you should ask them to enquire on your behalf.

3) Ask your boiler manufacturer for a refund

If you're not having any luck with your installer, we suggest you contact your boiler manufacturer directly via their website contact form. We recommend finding proof of purchase/installation and some guidance is provided in the next step.

Some suggested wording as follows (amend text in square brackets):

Dear Support Team,
I had a [Baxi/Vaillant/Glow worm/Worcester/Ideal] boiler fitted on [insert date] and I attached my [Benchmark certificate/invoice/confirmation of payment]. The boiler warranty was registered with you on [insert date].
I believe I paid an extra [£95/£110/£120] on top of the cost of my boiler to cover anticipated fines under the Government’s Clean Heat Market Mechanism policy that is now delayed until 1st April 2025.
I have been unable to secure a refund via my installer. I would be grateful if you could assist me claim this back.

You can ask a friend or family member to submit on your behalf if you’re not online. Links to the Contact us form here:

4) Find your 'Benchmark' commissioning certificate

We recommend you have evidence of purchase/installation to hand.

A Benchmark certificate is completed by the gas engineer to confirm the installation complies with Building Regulations. The certificate records details of your boiler installation, including when it was fitted and the serial number.

The Benchmark certificate can be found at the back of your installation manual (which is left with you) or on the Benchmark app if the installer has completed it online (you will need to download the app). Your installer should have asked you to sign the certificate. If you’re not sure, ask them for help to obtain a copy.

You may be able to offer the boiler manufacturer another proof of purchase such as the installer's invoice and confirmation of a bank payment.

5) Check the boiler warranty has been registered and if not, register the warranty.

We recommend you register the warranty if you or your installer hasn't done so already. You will need the boiler's serial number, which is on the Benchmark certificate. The serial number can also be found on the boiler’s data plate. The location of the data plate varies depending on the boiler, as follows:

  • Worcester Bosch - if the boiler has a drop down panel, it tends to be behind the panel. If the boiler doesn’t have a drop down panel, it will be on the top or the bottom of the boiler.
  • Vaillant/Glow worm - is either under the boiler or inside the drop down panel on the front of the boiler.
  • Baxi - is on top of the boiler
  • Ideal - is located either on the drop down panel on the front of the boiler or on a pull out tag underneath.

If you can't find it, give the manufacturer a call and ask them to talk you through where the boiler's data plate is located for your model. Phone numbers as follows:

  • Worcester - 0330 123 9339
  • Vaillant/Glow worm - 0345 602 2922
  • Baxi - 0330 6780 917
  • Ideal - 01482 498660

We are Warmur

We help households with their heating and renewable energy systems. In 2023 we merged with consumer champions The Heating Hub. Find out more about us at www.warmur.co.uk and www.theheatinghub.co.uk.