Ofgem, which administers the scheme, confirms the Domestic RHI closed to new applicants, including metering and monitoring service package applications, at midnight on 31 March 2022, with the only ongoing exception being applications made following a change of ownership of an already-registered system.

When the scheme closed

Ofgem is specific about the closure date: the Domestic RHI closed to new applicants, including metering and monitoring service package applications, at midnight on 31 March 2022. Anyone whose system was not registered and accepted onto the scheme before that cut-off cannot join it now, regardless of whether the heating system itself, such as a heat pump or biomass boiler, would otherwise have qualified.

What existing participants still get

Households who joined before the closure continue to receive quarterly payments over a seven-year period, based on the clean, renewable heat their system is estimated to produce. Because payments run for seven years from registration, a household that joined shortly before the scheme closed in March 2022 will have payments continuing for some years yet, while one that joined much earlier in the scheme’s history may already be near the end of its seven-year term.

The change-of-ownership exception

Ofgem notes one continuing route onto the scheme despite the general closure: an application can still be made following a change of ownership of a property with an already-registered system. This is not a way for a new heating system to join the scheme; it is a mechanism for an existing, already-registered installation to be transferred into a new owner’s name when a property with that system changes hands, keeping the remaining payments under the original seven-year term linked to the property rather than ending automatically on sale.

Who runs the scheme

Ofgem administers the Domestic RHI day to day, while the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero is responsible for the underlying policy, including tariff setting and the overall regulatory framework the scheme operates within. A household with a query about an individual payment or account generally deals with Ofgem as the administrator, while broader policy questions about the scheme’s future rules sit with the government department.

Rules can still change

Ofgem’s own guidance flags that scheme rules can change for both new and existing participants, even though the scheme itself is closed to new entrants. This means a household already receiving Domestic RHI payments should not assume the terms agreed at registration are permanently fixed in every detail; Ofgem specifically advises participants to keep up to date with the scheme rules as the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero continues its policy review work.

What to do if something looks wrong

Because payments are based on estimated renewable heat production over a long, fixed term, a household noticing a payment that looks unexpectedly low, missing, or otherwise inconsistent with previous quarters has a specific administrator, Ofgem, to raise the query with directly, rather than needing to work out which body is responsible between the administrator and the policy department.

How this differs from newer heat pump support

Because the Domestic RHI is closed, a household considering a heat pump for the first time now looks to a different scheme entirely, the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, covered in more detail elsewhere on this site, which works as an upfront grant toward installation costs rather than the ongoing quarterly payment structure the Domestic RHI used. A household already receiving Domestic RHI payments for an existing system is not affected by this distinction, since the two schemes apply to different installations at different points in time, but it is a common source of confusion when comparing notes with someone installing a heat pump today.

Keeping records for the full term

Because the seven-year payment term can run for several more years for households who joined closer to the March 2022 closure date, keeping the original registration paperwork, meter readings where the system requires them, and correspondence with Ofgem is worth maintaining for the full length of the term, not just at the point of joining. This record becomes particularly relevant if a query arises about a specific payment, or if the property changes hands and the change-of-ownership process needs to be completed to keep payments running under the new owner.

FAQs

Can a household still apply to join the Domestic RHI?

No. Ofgem confirms the scheme closed to new applicants at midnight on 31 March 2022, with the exception of change-of-ownership applications for already-registered systems.

How long do payments last for an existing participant?

Ofgem describes quarterly payments running over a seven-year period from registration, based on estimated renewable heat production.

What happens to Domestic RHI payments if the property is sold?

An application can be made following a change of ownership, allowing the remaining term on an already-registered system to continue under the new owner.

Who administers the scheme day to day?

Ofgem administers the Domestic RHI, while the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero sets the underlying policy and tariffs.

Bottom line

The Domestic RHI has been closed to new applicants since 31 March 2022, but existing participants continue receiving quarterly payments over a seven-year term based on estimated renewable heat output, administered by Ofgem, with a change-of-ownership route keeping payments linked to a property when it is sold. Scheme rules can still change for participants already on it, so keeping up to date with Ofgem’s guidance matters even after joining. This is general information, not advice on a specific account; Ofgem can be contacted directly about an individual payment query.

Sources

This guide draws on the following primary sources, current as of 22 September 2026:

• Ofgem, “Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive (Domestic RHI)”

Related guides

Best Boiler Deals is an independent guide. We may earn a fee from some links; this never affects what we write. This article is general information, not regulated advice on any specific installation — always confirm the details with a Gas Safe registered engineer.