Grant questions, answered

The questions people ask most, each answered in a line and backed by SEAI’s own words.

• Can I get the windows grant before insulating?

  No. SEAI pays the windows and doors grants only when the attic and walls are insulated, either before the windows or at the same time.

• Do I need a technical assessment for a heat pump?

  If your home was built before 2007, yes, unless a valid BER shows a heat loss indicator of 2.3 or less. It must be done before you apply, and SEAI pays a €200 grant towards it.

• Can my contractor claim the SEAI grant for me?

  Yes, if the contractor agrees. SEAI lets a registered contractor charge you the price less the grant, and you nominate their bank account on the payment form.

• Do I need tax clearance for SEAI grants?

  Only if SEAI pays you more than €10,000 in grants in one calendar year. Then you need a Tax Clearance Certificate from Revenue before the grant is paid.

• Can I use the Home Energy Upgrade Loan without a One Stop Shop?

  No. The works have to be carried out by an SEAI registered One Stop Shop or Community Coordinator, so a self-managed project cannot use it.

• Can I start work before my SEAI grant is approved?

  No. You need the grant offer before any work starts or any materials are bought, and SEAI does not backdate grants.

• How long does SEAI take to pay the grant?

  SEAI says to allow 4 to 6 weeks to process the payment once you claim. Before that come the works and a BER after them, and you have eight months from the offer to claim.

• Can I get the heating controls grant and the heat pump grant?

  No. The €700 heating controls grant is not available if you are applying for, or have claimed, a heat pump grant, and a heat pump comes with its own controls.

• Do I need a BER after the works?

  Yes. Every grant claim needs a BER after the works, done by a registered BER assessor. SEAI pays a €50 BER grant on your first application only.

• Can I apply for several SEAI grants at once?

  Yes. One application can carry several measures, for example attic, walls and windows together.

• Is my house too new for SEAI grants?

  It depends on the grant. Insulation, windows, doors and heating controls grants are for homes built and occupied before 2011. Heat pump and solar grants are for homes built and occupied before 2021.

• Can I get a wall insulation grant for an old stone house?

  Not on the individual grants. SEAI does not fund wall insulation on traditional buildings, typically solid stone or brick built before 1940, through Better Energy Homes. Through a One Stop Shop they can get grants.

• Is there a bigger attic grant for first-time buyers?

  Yes. A first-time buyer who bought on or after 1 January 2025 gets a higher attic grant: €1,900 on a semi-detached house instead of €1,500.

• Can I get a second wall insulation grant?

  After a cavity wall grant you can apply for internal or external wall insulation. After an external wall insulation grant you cannot get a second wall measure.

• Do I need planning permission for external wall insulation?

  Sometimes. SEAI says external wall insulation may need planning permission in some cases. Cavity and internal insulation do not.