What changed on 6 October
On 29 September SEAI announced two new grants for rented homes:
SEAI, enhanced grants announcement: "Introduce grants for attic insulation for homes in Housing Assistance Payment (HAP)/RAS tenancies."
SEAI, enhanced grants announcement: "Introduce grants for cavity wall insulation for homes in HAP/RAS tenancies."
It said everything in that package would open on budget day:
SEAI, enhanced grants announcement: "All of the measures announced today will open from 6 October 2026, subject to final implementation arrangements."
The announcement did not say who applies, the landlord or the tenant. On 6 October SEAI's attic page, wall page and homeowner application guide were updated, and the attic page answers it:
SEAI, attic insulation: "Enhanced Grants available of up to €2,500 for Attic Insulation for First-time buyers, homeowners who are in receipt of Dept. of Social Protection welfare payments, and Landlords participating in an active HAP tenancy or RAS arrangement"
The guide puts it this way:
SEAI, homeowner application guide: "Higher fixed-amount grants for attic insulation and cavity wall insulation are available for eligible properties participating in the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme or the Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS)."
How much
These are the same higher amounts SEAI pays first-time buyers (attic only) and homeowners on certain welfare payments. Amounts last checked 2026-10-03.
| Job | Higher grant, apartment to detached | Standard grant |
|---|---|---|
| Attic insulation | €1,400 to €2,500 | €1,100 to €2,000 |
| Cavity wall insulation | €900 to €2,300 | €700 to €1,800 |
SEAI's wall page gives the cavity amounts line by line:
- "Cavity wall insulation: €1,800 grant and up to €2,300 for homeowners who are in receipt of Dept. of Social Protection welfare payments or if the property is participating in an active HAP tenancy or RAS arrangement"
- "Cavity wall insulation: €1,300 grant and €1,700 for homeowners who are in receipt of Dept. of Social Protection welfare payments or if the property is participating in an active HAP tenancy or RAS arrangement"
- "Cavity wall insulation: €850 grant and €1,100 for homeowners who are in receipt of Dept. of Social Protection welfare payments or if the property is participating in an active HAP tenancy or RAS arrangement"
- "Cavity wall insulation: €700 grant and €900 for homeowners who are in receipt of Dept. of Social Protection welfare payments or if the property is participating in an active HAP tenancy or RAS arrangement"
SEAI's guide lists higher HAP and RAS grants for the attic and cavity walls only. Every other job pays the standard amount, which grants for landlords sets out.
What SEAI asks for: the attic
- "The property must be participating in an active Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) tenancy or Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) Arrangement."
- "The property must be an eligible home built and occupied on or before 31 December 2010."
- "The applicant may be required to provide evidence of an active HAP tenancy or RAS arrangement."
- "Where eligible, the higher grant amount will automatically apply to your attic insulation measure."
What SEAI asks for: cavity walls
- "The property must be participating in an eligible HAP or RAS scheme arrangement."
- "The applicant must furnish evidence of an active HAP tenancy or RAS arrangement where requested."
- "If you qualify, the higher grant amount will automatically apply to your cavity wall insulation measure."
The wall page states the same 2010 build date as the attic page. The guide adds that SEAI checks:
SEAI, homeowner application guide: "Applicants may be required to provide evidence of an active HAP tenancy or RAS arrangement. Applications may be subject to verification checks."
So keep the HAP tenancy agreement or the RAS contract to hand before applying. Whether the higher grant is paid is SEAI's decision on the application.
New: solar panels and a battery for Dublin RAS homes
By 10 October 2026 SEAI's solar page had added a pilot for homes let to a long-term RAS tenant through one of the four Dublin councils. Those homes:
SEAI, solar electricity grant: "can receive a higher grant of up to €9,000 towards the installation of Solar PV and Battery in their home."
SEAI, solar electricity grant: "Before applying, you will need to obtain a letter from your Local Authority confirming that your long-term tenant is in receipt of a Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) payment and that the property qualifies for the higher grant amount."
More on the welfare solar and battery grant.
What has not changed
The two rules that cost people most still apply. The contractor has to be registered with SEAI:
SEAI, homeowner application guide: "You must select a SEAI Registered contractor"
And the grant has to be approved before any work starts:
SEAI, homeowner application guide: "You must have grant approval in place before you start work."
If you are a tenant
SEAI's attic page names landlords, and the work is to the landlord's property, so expect the landlord to apply. A tenant who wants the work done can point the landlord to this page or to SEAI's attic and wall pages. If the attic is one job of several, a check of the home puts the jobs in order and adds up the grants for each one.