Qualifying households can save £400 on the cost and installation of an energy efficient boiler thanks to a new boiler scrappage scheme launched by British Gas.
British Gas is offering a new incentive scheme for a limited period until 30 June to tackle the problem of inefficient boilers in the UK.

All households in England, Scotland and Wales can now apply for a £400 discount when trading in their old G-rated boiler for a Worcester Bosch A-rated boiler - the highest rated energy efficiency boiler available.

Applicants do not need to be British Gas customers nor will they have to sign-up to any other service contract or energy tariff to get the deal. British Gas said around 3.5 million households in the UK could qualify and added there was no cap on the number of discounts available.

Prices for the Worcester Bosch models used in the scheme start from around £2,000, including installation, said British Gas.

Charlie Brown, energy expert at British Gas said: 'An inefficient boiler is one of the biggest sources of wasted energy and money in the home. It's really important to ensure that your boiler is in a good condition and working efficiently during the warmer months so that there are no nasty surprises when temperatures drop.'

According to research by uSwitch.com, installing an energy efficient boiler can save households up to £225 a year on heating bills. Tom Lyon, energy expert at uSwitch.com welcomed the British Gas initiative, he said: 'Heating and hot water accounts for around 60% of the average household energy bill so hopefully British Gas' scheme will help people become more energy efficient and cut their bills ahead of any further price rises.'

'But consumers should still get quotes from a number of different sources, including independent plumbers, to ensure they are getting the most competitive price for installing an A-rated boiler.'

The British Gas trade-in programme follows the success of a government-backed boiler scrappage scheme that ran from January to March 2010, but a cap on the number of available vouchers meant thousands of households across the country missed out.

The deadline for the scrappage scheme is 30 June 2011. For more information visit the British Gas website.