Can I get financial help towards replacing boiler at my French home?

Reader question: I want to replace the old gas-fired boiler in my house– is there any help towards this?

If you have a gas, coal, or oil-fuelled boiler there is a grant you can receive to help partially cover the costs of switching to a newer one, provided you replace the boiler with an eco-friendly alternative.

The coup de pouce chauffage (heating grant) is not means tested, but the amount paid varies depending on overall household income.

It can also be used in conjunction with the Eco-prêt à taux zéro (interest-free eco loan) and the MaPrimeRénov’ schemes.

The property in question has to be at least two years old.

What new installations does the grant cover?

The grant covers eco-friendly installations from the list below:

• Biomass boiler
• Air/water heat pump (pompe à chaleur air/eau)
• Water/water heat pump (pompe à chaleur géothermique),
• Hybrid heat pump (an air/water heat pump and a condensing boiler),
• Combined solar system (a solar panel heater and a storage tank),
• Connection to a district heating network powered by renewable energies (réseau de chaleur alimenté majoritairement par des énergies renouvelables ou de récupération)
• High-performance wood-burning stoves (in this case, only if replacing a coal-burning stove or similar heating equipment, but not a boiler).

As you will need the help of a specialist to install the equipment, they will be able to tell you if the exact replacement you want to install is eligible for the grant.

Read more:Tips to avoid energy renovation scams in France after warning issued

How much is the grant?

There are two tiers of support – households with a ‘modest’ income and ‘other’ households.

Income levels are based on the income from two years before your application, for example, if applying for the grant in 2024, 2022’s income is assessed, based on your 2022 revenu fiscal de référence (net income as shown on your avis d’impôt sur le revenu).

Modest income households receive a higher grant and the threshold depends on where the property is located and how many people live there.

The table below shows the income thresholds to be classed as a ‘modest household’ for purposes of the grant.

Credit: Ministère de l’économie

Any household with income above these levels will only receive a base-level grant for ‘other’ households.

The table below shows how much the grant can be depending on your household income level and the type of installation:

Credit: Ministère de l’économie

Credit: Ministère de l’économie

The Ministry of the Economy says however that these are guidelines and exact levels of the grant could change, and will apply for projects started up until December 2025.

Read more:DIY projects on French homes may become eligible for renovation grants

How do I apply for the grant?

You apply for the grant via one of the companies that has signed a charter agreement to offer these grants. They are mostly energy companies.

You can use the service public website’s article on theCoup de pouce chauffage to find suitable companies – look in the Quelle est la démarche pour bénéficier de la prime Coup de pouce chauffage section.

This section provides specific links to accredited companies for each type of installation.

You can get information from multiple companies before accepting an offer from one of them.

You should then click on Rechercher une enterprise ayant la qualité ‘Reconnu garant de l’environnement’, to find a firm that will install the equipment.

You should then obtain quotes from firms, agree on one, and sign it.

Once the work is completed, you should return the invoice to the company offering the grant.

Payment comes either in the form of a discount on your final bill for the project, a bank transfer to your account, or vouchers (bons d’achats).

Note that for help with this and other advice on eco-friendly financial aids, you can obtain free advice from the FranceRénov’ network.

Related articles

Housing minister backs grants to cool homes

If you heat home with wood pellets, now may be good time to buy