Around one in five UK households pays for boiler cover, and in Scotland that mostly means Scottish Gas HomeCare (Scottish Gas is British Gas's brand north of the border). It's a reasonable product. It's also, for a lot of homes, more expensive than simply paying a local Gas Safe engineer when you need one.
We're a local engineer, so you'd expect us to say that. Below are the actual numbers, so you can decide for yourself.
What HomeCare costs (indicative, 2026)
- HomeCare 1 — Covers: Boiler and controls · Per month (£60 excess): £24 · Per month (£0 excess): £28 · Per year: £288–£336
- HomeCare 2 — Covers: + central heating (radiators, pipes, pump) · Per month (£60 excess): £30 · Per month (£0 excess): £35 · Per year: £360–£420
- HomeCare 3 — Covers: + plumbing and drains · Per month (£60 excess): £38 · Per month (£0 excess): £44 · Per year: £456–£528
- HomeCare 4 — Covers: + home electrics · Per month (£60 excess): £45 · Per month (£0 excess): £52 · Per year: £540–£624
All plans include an annual service, unlimited call-outs and a 24/7 helpline. Prices vary by postcode and tend to rise at renewal; there's usually a 14-day wait before you can claim and an initial inspection of the boiler before repair cover starts. Older boilers may be declined or covered on limited terms.
What pay-as-you-go costs with Titan Heat
- Annual boiler service — £89 fixed
- Repair call-out and diagnosis — £85 fixed
- Repair labour and parts — Fixed quote before work starts — see our repair price guide
The comparison over a year
Take the most popular plan, HomeCare 2 with a £60 excess: £360 a year.
Year with no breakdown: you've paid £360 for a service worth about £89. The other £271 was insurance you didn't use.
Year with one typical breakdown (say a diverter valve, around £280 all-in with us): pay-as-you-go costs £89 + £280 = £369. HomeCare costs £360 + £60 excess = £420.
Year with a serious breakdown (PCB, around £450): pay-as-you-go £539; HomeCare £420. HomeCare wins.
Two serious breakdowns in a year: HomeCare wins comfortably. But if your boiler is doing that, the real answer is a new boiler, not more cover.
So the honest summary: cover only saves money in the years something expensive goes wrong, and the older and less reliable the boiler, the more likely that is — which is also why insurers price older boilers higher or exclude them.
The factor everyone forgets: the manufacturer's warranty
If your boiler is less than about ten years old and has been serviced every year, most parts are already covered free by the manufacturer's warranty. Our boilers come with manufacturer warranties of up to 10 years, and we add a 12-month guarantee on our own parts and labour. In that situation a boiler-only cover plan is largely paying to insure something that's already insured; all you actually need is the £89 annual service to keep the warranty alive.
Cover starts to make more sense once the warranty has expired and the boiler is heading into its second decade — the same period where you should also be weighing up replacement.
When HomeCare-type cover is the right call
- Your boiler is out of warranty and 8–15 years old, and you want budget certainty
- You're a landlord who wants tenants to have a 24/7 number and doesn't want to manage call-outs (though check the plan is a landlord plan — standard HomeCare isn't)
- You value the unlimited call-outs and don't mind paying for peace of mind
- You genuinely couldn't absorb a £500 bill in a bad month
When a local engineer is the right call
- The boiler is under manufacturer's warranty — just get it serviced annually
- You'd rather pay £89 a year and deal with problems if and when they happen
- You want the same engineer, who knows your system, rather than whoever's on the rota
- You want a fixed, known price before any work starts, and a live tracking link rather than an all-day window
- You'd prefer the money you'd spend on cover to go into a replacement fund for a boiler that's on its last legs
A middle path
Many of our customers do this: pay for the £89 annual service, keep the manufacturer's warranty valid, and put aside what they would have spent on cover. After a few breakdown-free years that fund pays for a new boiler with a fresh ten-year warranty — at which point the cover question disappears again for a decade.
Frequently asked questions
Is Scottish Gas HomeCare the same as British Gas HomeCare?
Yes. Scottish Gas is British Gas's trading name in Scotland; the HomeCare products and prices are the same.
Is boiler cover worth it for a new boiler?
Usually not, because the manufacturer's warranty covers parts and often labour for up to 10 years, as long as it's serviced annually.
Can I just pay for a boiler service instead of cover?
Yes. Ours is £89 fixed across Glasgow and Lanarkshire — book online.
How much is a one-off boiler repair without cover?
Our call-out is £85 fixed, with a fixed quote for any repair before work starts. Common repairs run £120–£400 all-in.
Does boiler cover include the annual service?
Yes, all HomeCare plans include a service, which is why the comparison should count the £89 you'd otherwise spend.
Can I cancel HomeCare and switch to a local engineer?
Check your renewal date and any minimum term. Most plans renew annually and can be cancelled at renewal without penalty.
Written by Stephen, Lead Engineer at Titan Heat. Titan Heat is a Gas Safe registered heating and plumbing business (Reg. No. 982732) serving Glasgow and Lanarkshire.
Sources: Selectra — British Gas HomeCare plans and prices (updated 3 September 2026). Comparison figures are illustrative; your quote will depend on postcode, boiler age and excess chosen.
