When you’re choosing someone to fit a heat pump, solar panels or a battery, one question matters more than most: are they an MCS certified installer? It decides whether you can claim the heat pump grant, whether you can use the government’s new Warm Homes Loan, and what protection you have if something goes wrong. Here’s what MCS certification means and why it’s worth checking before you sign anything.
What is an MCS certified installer?
MCS (the Microgeneration Certification Scheme) is the UK’s quality assurance scheme for small-scale renewable energy. An MCS certified installer has been assessed to show they can design and install specific technologies, such as heat pumps, solar PV or battery storage, to MCS standards. Certification is for each technology, so an installer certified for solar isn’t automatically certified for heat pumps.
MCS certified installers must also belong to a consumer code, such as RECC or HIES, which sets standards for how they sell to you and gives you a route to resolve complaints. When the job is finished, the installer registers it on the MCS database and you receive an MCS certificate for your system.
You need an MCS certified installer for the heat pump grant
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme gives £7,500 off an air source or ground source heat pump in England and Wales, or £9,000 if you’re replacing an oil or LPG boiler (until 31 March 2027). You can only claim it through an MCS certified installer: the installer applies for the grant on your behalf and it comes straight off your quote. Use an installer without MCS certification and you lose the grant entirely.
Read more in our guide to heat pump grants in Gloucestershire.
You usually need one for the Warm Homes Loan too
The government’s Warm Homes Loan Scheme offers lower-cost loans for heat pumps, solar panels and battery storage. GOV.UK says you must usually use an MCS certified installer for the work, and you can’t do the installation yourself. In practice, lenders expect a quote from an MCS certified installer showing their MCS number, and the finished installation registered with MCS.
So choosing an MCS certified installer keeps both doors open: you can take the grant off the cost of a heat pump and, if you want to, use a Warm Homes Loan for the rest or for solar and a battery. For the details of the scheme, see our Warm Homes Loan Scheme guide or the eligibility rules on GOV.UK.
Other benefits of using an MCS certified installer
- Designed to a standard: heat pumps must be sized from a proper heat loss calculation, so the system keeps your home warm without running up big bills.
- Consumer protection: membership of a consumer code such as RECC or HIES gives you clear rules on quotes, contracts and deposits, and a way to raise complaints.
- Proof for the future: your MCS certificate shows the system was installed properly, which can help when you sell your home.
- Paid for exported solar: to earn from the Smart Export Guarantee for solar electricity you send to the grid, your system generally needs to be MCS certified.
How to check an installer is MCS certified
Ask for their MCS certificate number and check it on the MCS website. Make sure they’re certified for the specific technology you want, as certification is given for each one separately. Their quote should show their MCS number and the size of the system in kW.
Why choose PBT Installations?
PBT Installations is an MCS certified installer (certificate number 26427) based in Cheltenham, fitting Stiebel Eltron heat pumps, solar PV and battery storage across Gloucestershire and the Cotswolds. We handle the Boiler Upgrade Scheme application for you, give you a clear, itemised quote with our MCS number on it, and register every installation with MCS when the job is done. Find out more about us or get in touch to talk about your home.