Boiler Upgrade Scheme Privacy Notice - Property Owners

Publication type:
Guidance
Publication date:
Scheme name:
BUS,
ALL

This privacy notice tells property owners what to expect when we collect your personal information under the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS). 

It applies to information we collect about: 

  • property owners who have a low carbon heating technology installed under the BUS at their property, referred to as ‘the property owner’ throughout 
  • individuals who sign up to receive newsletters and regular correspondence 
  • people who contact Ofgem with a query or right of access request regarding the BUS and BUS-funded installations of low carbon heating technology 

This privacy notice only covers the processing of personal information relating to BUS. 

To find out more information on how Ofgem processes personal information, refer to the Ofgem Privacy Policy. 

Controller

The controller for the processing of any personal information as outlined in this privacy notice is the Gas and Electricity Markets Authority (GEMA). For ease of reference this privacy notice refers to the administrative office of GEMA, ‘Ofgem’ throughout. 

What personal information do we collect?

We receive your personal information indirectly from installers who seek BUS support for low carbon heating installations as part of our administration of the BUS. 

This information includes: 

  • name of the property owner 
  • email address of the property owner, where one exists 
  • telephone number of the property owner, where one exists 
  • address of the property owned by the property owner that is intended to have a BUS-funded low carbon heating installation installed at it, ‘the installation address’ 
  • home address of the property owner, if different from the installation address 
  • details of the existing heating system and supplementary heating system (where applicable) in the installation address 
  • documents (e.g. a recent utility bill, fuel receipts or pictures of the heating system) proving eligibility in line with scheme requirements where no EPC exists for the property under Schedule 2 of the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (England and Wales) Regulations 2022, as amended (BUS regulations) (where applicable) 
  • documents proving the property at the installation address qualifies as an eligible new-build under regulation 7 of the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (England and Wales) Regulations 2022 (BUS regulations as amended) (where applicable) 
  • confirmation as to whether or not the property at the installation address is being used as social housing 
  • data contained on the Energy Performance Certificate of the property at the installation address (where an EPC exists) 
  • confirmation as to whether or not the property at the installation address is connected to the gas grid 

We collect the following information directly from you after we receive a BUS application from an installer which names you as a property owner for the purposes of the BUS: 

  • confirmation as to whether or not: 
    • you consent to the installer making a BUS application on your behalf 
    • the property at the installation address is being used as social housing 
    • you have received a grant from public funds to cover any of the purchase or installation costs of the BUS-funded low carbon heating technology 
    • the BUS-funded installation was funded through the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) scheme, whereby energy suppliers promote measures that improve the ability of low income, fuel poor, and vulnerable households to heat their homes 
    • the property at the installation address is connected to the gas grid 
  • Where our routine ID and credit reference verification checks fail, further personal information in the form of: 
    • a digital copy of a document for the purpose of verifying your identity, this will be one of the following: 
      • the full signature and photo page of your valid passport 
      • your valid UK driving licence (photocard or paper) 
      • your current national identity card 
  • a digital copy of a document for the purpose of verifying your home address, this will be one of the following: 
    • a domestic utility bill from the last 3 months 
    • a council tax bill from the last 3 months 

We will also collect information directly from individuals who sign up to our newsletter(s), respond to our customer satisfaction (CSAT) surveys or are part of any Ofgem working group related to the BUS. We will collect and store your name and email address in order to send these to you, as well as your responses to questions posed relating to our performance in administering the scheme(s). 

Registered users can request for their information to be removed from the newsletter distribution list at any time by clicking unsubscribe within the newsletter or by emailing BUS.Enquiry@ofgem.gov.uk.

Why we need to collect and process your information

We only collect information that we need in order to carry out our functions in relation to the BUS which include, but are not limited to, the functions below: 

  • administering the scheme, this includes assurance activities 
  • assessing BUS voucher applications 
  • confirming the property owner has provided consent for the installer to make a BUS application on their behalf 
  • verifying the property owner’s identity through third party credit checking agencies 
  • assessing BUS voucher redemption applications 
  • making BUS payments 
  • undertaking any actions against non-compliance, suspected or otherwise, scheme abuse and counter-fraud actions we deem necessary in accordance with the BUS regulations 
  • reporting if required of non-compliance in BUS reporting arrangements 

Your personal information will not be used for profiling, that is, any automated processing of personal information to evaluate certain things about an individual, for example, any decision relating to your BUS installation.  

In some cases, we use data analytics software to: 

  • identify scheme abuse or suspected fraud 
  • improve the services we provide 
  • monitor compliance with the BUS regulations 

In order to inform future policy development of our Environmental and Social Schemes your information may be shared internally within Ofgem. 

When do we collect your information as the property owner

We collect your information when: 

  • you visit our website - you can find out how we do this through the use of cookies by viewing ‘Cookies we use’ section at the end of this page 
  • your installer provides us with your details when making an application on your behalf 
  • you engage with us when we carry out our statutory and administrative functions 
  • your installer submits information and data to us via the BUS portal 
  • you use our services, for example subscribing to our RSS feeds, e-newsletters, social media sites, email alerts or requesting a publication from us 
  • you email, fax, or telephone us, or send information to us in paper format 
  • you contact us in relation to scheme administration, general enquiries, information requests, and complaints 

How and when we will disclose your information

We only collect information that we need in order to effectively administer the government’s Environmental and Social Schemes which includes the BUS. The BUS is administered in line with the requirements under legislation and licence conditions, as detailed below. Any data you provide will not be transferred outside the European Economic Area. 

We will only disclose your personal information in the following circumstances: 

  • where the disclosure is required by law, statutory direction, court orders, or is necessary for the purposes of the administration or development of the BUS 
  • where you give us explicit permission to disclose it 
  • for the processing and sharing of relevant information during audits 

We will only share your information with the following organisations or official bodies as required: 

  • third party suppliers, appointed by us in connection with our scheme administration. This may include research companies or agencies appointed to conduct surveys on our behalf. We will notify you of this in writing before any survey goes ahead and provide you with the opportunity to decline to take part 
  • Action Fraud in England or Wales when we have found instances of suspected fraud 
  • the Microgeneration Certification Scheme, its associated certification bodies, The Home Insulation and Energy Systems Quality Assured Contractors Scheme and the Renewable Energy Consumer Code for the purposes of: 
    • identifying suspected scheme abuse, fraud, and cases of non-compliance on the BUS 
    • helping to ensure that installation work is carried out to the required installation and consumer protection standards 
    • meeting the requirements of the BUS 

These organisations may share your information with their contractors or sub-contractors for these purposes. 

In addition to the organisations listed above, we may share your information with, or receive information from, the following parties for the purposes described below: 

  • the installer to help ensure the functioning of the scheme including, but not limited to our functions in determining when BUS voucher applications are properly made, assessing the eligibility of an installation, assessing the eligibility of a BUS voucher application, assessing the eligibility of a BUS voucher redemption application and during any compliance-related communication with installers 
  • the property owner or local authority of the property in relation to their own properties 
  • third-party auditors who audit the information provided to us. We require such third-parties to agree to treat your information in accordance with this privacy policy and the UK GDPR 
  • Google Analytics, which is used to conduct data analytics when accepted by the user 
  • Huddle or Egress, where we use their platform to securely share data with other organisations 
  • The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), who may issue Ofgem a notice that legally compels Ofgem to disclose specified information collected for the purposes of administering the BUS which includes, but is not limited to: 
    • surveys and statistical purposes (to publish official statistics and to fully monitor the rollout and progress of the scheme) 
    • quality assurance 
    • forecasting expenditure 
    • wider purposes connected with analysis, research, monitoring, evaluation, development and understanding of the BUS scheme and DESNZ’s policies 

DESNZ have also published a privacy notice for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme covering how they use personal data, with whom they may share your information with and for what purpose. DESNZ’s contractors and sub-contractors may contact you to assist with analysis, research, monitoring, evaluation, development and understanding of the BUS scheme and DESNZ’s policies. 

The latest version of DESNZ’s privacy notice is available on the GOV.UK Boiler Upgrade Scheme page.

We collect and process your information under the ‘Public Task’ (UK GDPR, Article 6(1)(e)) legal basis for processing as part of our remit as the BUS administrator, and for purposes arising from Ofgem’s functions conferred by law, including: 

  • Utilities Act 2000 (as amended) 
  • Energy Act of 2008 (as amended) 
  • The Boiler Upgrade Scheme (England and Wales) Regulations 2022 (as amended) 

We would not be able to fulfil our obligations as the administrator of the BUS without collecting your information. 

We may process your information for the purpose of conducting surveys. Where we do so, this is necessary for our role as BUS administrator and therefore our legal basis for processing users' information is ‘public task’ (UK GDPR, Article 6(1)(e)).  

How long do we keep your information?

Your personal information is deleted when we no longer need it for our functions in administering the BUS. As such, it is retained by Ofgem for the duration of the scheme and a period of 7 years thereafter. 

The digital copies of the proof of ID and proof of home address documents you submit will be deleted when we no longer need them for our verification purposes, we will only retain your information for as long as required.

Your rights

If we hold information about you, you have the right to: 

  • be informed about the data we hold about you 
  • access the information we hold about you 
  • have your personal information corrected if it is incomplete or inaccurate 
  • ask us to restrict how we process your information 
  • object to certain ways we use your information 
  • in some circumstances, you may have a right to object to Ofgem processing your information 

To see the full suite of new consumer rights available to you under UK GDPR, please refer to the Ofgem Privacy Policy or the ICO website. 

Further information

To find out more information on how Ofgem processes personal data, please refer to the Ofgem Privacy Policy. 

How to contact us

If you would like to: 

  • make a request under the Freedom of Information or Environmental Information Regulations, see information requests 
  • make a complaint about Ofgem, see complaints about Ofgem 
  • make a subject access request, see information requests 
  • exercise any of your rights and/or request information about Ofgem privacy policy, please contact our Data Protection Officer by email on dpo@ofgem.gov.uk or alternatively write to us at:

    The Data Protection Officer Ofgem
    10 South Colonnade
    Canary Wharf
    London
    E14 4PU

Complaints to the Information Commissioner

You have a right to complain to the Information Commissioner. If you want to raise a concern about how we have handled your information, you can report it directly to the Information Commissioner’s Office at the following address:

Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Telephone: 0303 123 1113
Online: Live chat 

Changes to this privacy notice

We keep our privacy policy under regular review. This privacy notice was last updated on 21 July 2026.

Cookies we use

Cookies are small files saved on your phone, tablet, or computer when you visit a website. 

We use the following essential cookies to make the property owner consent web application work. 

Name  Purpose  Expires 
.AspNetCore.Antiforgery 

Cross-site request forgery prevention: 

prevents unauthorised posting of content to the application 

 When you close the browser 
.AspNetCore.Session  Stores any relevant data for your session  When you close the browser 
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Related links

Boiler Upgrade Scheme: Guidance for Property Owners