SEAI grants for home energy upgrades
Up to €10,500 in government grants for Irish homeowners. Find SEAI-registered plumbers and heating engineers in your county who can carry out the work and help you claim.
What is SEAI?
The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland
SEAI is the Irish government agency responsible for promoting sustainable energy. Through the Better Energy Homes scheme, they provide grants to homeowners who upgrade their heating systems, insulation and renewable energy sources.
Grants are available for owner-occupied homes built and occupied before 2011. Rented properties may qualify under a separate scheme. The grant is paid directly to you after the work is completed and inspected.
The most important thing to remember: you must engage an SEAI-registered contractor before any work begins. If you start the work before registering your application, you lose the grant. Our network includes SEAI-approved installers across all 26 counties.
Grant amounts 2026
How much can you claim?
The following are the current SEAI grant amounts for the Better Energy Homes scheme. Grants are subject to change — always verify on seai.ie before committing.
| Measure | Grant amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Heat pump (air to water) | €6,500 | Home must have BER B3 or better after upgrade |
| Solar water heating (thermal) | €1,200 | Reduces domestic hot water energy use by ~60% |
| Solar photovoltaic (PV) | Up to €2,400 | Based on kWp installed; microgeneration payments extra |
| Cavity wall insulation | €800 | Per dwelling; most older Irish homes qualify |
| Internal insulation (dry lining) | €4,500 | Walls from inside; disruption to interior finishes |
| External wall insulation | €8,000 | Highest impact measure for poorly insulated homes |
| Attic insulation | €1,500 | Cost-effective, quick payback period |
| Rafter insulation | €3,000 | For rooms in roof or Velux-style conversions |
| Maximum combined grant | €10,500 | Heat pump + insulation measures combined |
Source: SEAI Better Energy Homes scheme, 2026. Amounts correct at time of publication. Verify at seai.ie before starting work.
Insulation grants (cavity wall, external wall, attic) are handled by specialist insulation contractors, not plumbers. Find SEAI-registered insulation contractors at wallinsulationireland.ie.
Heat pumps
Is a heat pump right for your home?
Good fit for a heat pump
- Home built after 1990 with decent insulation
- BER rating of B3 or better (or planning to upgrade insulation first)
- Underfloor heating already installed or planned
- Large radiators throughout the home
- Off the gas network (oil or electric heating)
- Planning to add solar PV for running the pump
May need upgrades first
- BER below C2 — insulation upgrades strongly recommended first
- Old small radiators that cannot handle lower flow temperatures
- Very old or draughty property without cavity walls
- Limited outdoor space for the external unit
Heat pump not recommended
- Listed buildings where external units cannot be fitted
- Properties where insulation cannot be improved significantly
- Very short-term ownership (long payback period)
SEAI requires a home to achieve a BER of B3 or better after a heat pump installation. An energy assessor (BER assessor) can advise whether your home qualifies without expensive upgrades first. BER assessments cost approximately €200–€250.
Solar water heating
The overlooked SEAI grant
Solar water heating (thermal panels, not PV) is one of the most cost-effective SEAI grants available. A typical installation costs €4,000–€6,000. After the €1,200 SEAI grant, the net cost is around €3,000–€4,800, with payback periods of 7–10 years.
Solar thermal panels heat your domestic hot water for free for most of the year. In Irish summers, a well-sized system can provide 80–90% of your hot water needs. In winter it pre-heats water, reducing the load on your boiler.
It works with any existing boiler system and is a good intermediate step if you are not yet ready for a full heat pump installation.
Find solar water heating installersSEAI One Stop Shop
The easier way to do a deep retrofit
If you are doing multiple upgrades — heat pump, insulation, solar PV — the SEAI One Stop Shop scheme lets a registered provider manage everything for you. One application, one contractor to coordinate, one grant payment. Enhanced grants are available under this scheme, and 0% financing is available through SEAI's home energy upgrade loan.
Common questions
Common questions
Do I have to use a specific contractor?
Yes. Work must be carried out by a contractor registered on SEAI's approved list. We only connect you with SEAI-registered contractors. Grants are not paid for work done by non-registered contractors, regardless of quality.
Can I get a grant for a new gas boiler?
No. SEAI grants are not available for new gas boiler installations as of 2024. Grants are available for replacing a gas or oil boiler with a heat pump. The Better Energy Homes scheme focuses on renewable and low-carbon measures.
How long does the grant take to arrive?
Typically 4–8 weeks after the completed works are submitted to SEAI. Some applications are selected for inspection, which can add time. Grants are paid by bank transfer to the homeowner.
Can I claim the grant on a recently bought home?
Yes, provided the home was built and occupied before 2011 and is your primary residence. It does not matter when you bought it — what matters is the original build date of the property.
Can landlords claim the SEAI grant?
Not under the standard Better Energy Homes scheme. However, landlords can apply under the Better Energy Warmer Homes and SEAI Community schemes. Ask your contractor which scheme applies to your situation.
Do I need planning permission for a heat pump?
In most cases, no. Air-to-water heat pumps qualify as exempted development under Irish planning law, provided they meet certain conditions (setbacks from boundaries, noise limits, etc.). Your installer will confirm at survey stage.
Are you a plumber?
Get a website that ranks in your county
Most plumbers in Ireland have no website or a website that does not rank on Google. daveacoleman.com builds websites for Irish plumbers that are fast, professional and optimised for local search from day one.
Browse by county
SEAI-registered installers by county
- Dublin Find SEAI installers →
- Cork Find SEAI installers →
- Galway Find SEAI installers →
- Limerick Find SEAI installers →
- Waterford Find SEAI installers →
- Meath Find SEAI installers →
- Kildare Find SEAI installers →
- Wicklow Find SEAI installers →
- Wexford Find SEAI installers →
- Kilkenny Find SEAI installers →
- Tipperary Find SEAI installers →
- Clare Find SEAI installers →
- Kerry Find SEAI installers →
- Mayo Find SEAI installers →
- Sligo Find SEAI installers →
- Louth Find SEAI installers →
- Laois Find SEAI installers →
- Offaly Find SEAI installers →
- Westmeath Find SEAI installers →
- Longford Find SEAI installers →
- Roscommon Find SEAI installers →
- Leitrim Find SEAI installers →
- Cavan Find SEAI installers →
- Monaghan Find SEAI installers →
- Donegal Find SEAI installers →
- Carlow Find SEAI installers →
Get started