An Updated Guide to Insulation & Energy Efficiency Grants in Ireland for 2018
Insulating your home will increase the comfort of your living, lead to a healthier home environment, reduce costs associated with heating and cooling your home, and benefits the environment by reducing your carbon footprint.
There are a few different types of grants and programmes available in Ireland for homeowners looking to upgrade or install new insulation. Some of these programmes may also offer assistance with boiler and heating control upgrades, and a range of other energy efficiency upgrades, including renewable energy technologies such as heat pumps and solar for both hot water heating and electricity generation.
Many homeowners throughout Ireland can qualify for grants towards free or reduced price insulation. Depending on your individual circumstances, you may receive grants that offer cash back after the measures are installed, discounts on your electricity or gas bill or even free insulation in limited circumstances. Depending on the grant or scheme, the insulation contractor you choose can help you with the application process and ensure you have approval before the works begin.
Insulation grants help to reduce the cost of insulation, helping to pay for both the material and labour. Most homeowners with a home built before 2006 will qualify for one of the schemes outlined below.
KORE Warmer Homes Scheme
To qualify, individuals must own and reside in a house built before 2006 (owner-occupied) and be in receipt of one of the following:
- Fuel Allowance as part of the National Fuel Scheme
- Jobseekers Allowance for more than 6 months, with a child under 7 years of age
- Working Family Payment (formerly known as Family Income Supplement)
- One-Parent Family Payment
- Domiciliary Care Allowance
If you qualify you will receive a number of free energy efficiency measures in your home including; free cavity wall insulation, free attic insulation, free draught proofing, free pipe insulation, free cold & hot water tank lagging, free low energy light bulbs, and free energy advice & a building energy rating certificate (BER).
You can apply online now by visiting the KORE Warmer Homes Scheme website.
SEAI does enforce a one home one visit rule, meaning if you’ve applied before or have had measures installed in a previous year you would not be eligible to avail of the offer again at this time.
The KORE Warmer Homes Scheme has been offered for several years with full funding provided by SEAI as long as the homeowner meets the requirements of the scheme as mentioned above.
SEAI Better Energy Homes Scheme
SEAI’s Better Energy Homes Scheme offers cash grants for a number of energy efficiency measures, including cavity wall insulation, attic insulation, external wall insulation and heating control upgrades.
To qualify, you must own a home built before 2006. Please note that rental properties and those owned by a Local Authority are currently not eligible. You can view a list of the full measures included and grant amounts by clicking here. This scheme is not means tested, so long as you own a house built before 2006 you should be eligible to apply for this grant.
Homeowners can choose the contractor they’d like to carry out the works as long as they are SEAI registered. The contractor can help with the application process and ensure approval has been granted before the works begin. If you’ve had works installed under the Better Energy Homes Scheme you are welcome to apply again for any additional measures. For example, if you had cavity wall insulation installed the first time, you would still be eligible to apply again for a grant towards attic insulation or heating control upgrades. If you install three or more measures in your home you’ll also be eligible for a bonus grant ranging from €300 to €400.
As the cost may vary depending on the contractor you choose, we recommend that you obtain multiple quotations from SEAI registered contractors before making a decision. The total out of pocket cost can vary depending on the contractor you choose. KORE offers a nationwide network of insulation contractors that are approved to offer the Better Energy Homes Scheme. View a full list of local insulation contractors here.
If you’re an Electric Ireland customer or are interested in switching providers you may also take advantage of our Energy Efficiency Incentive with Electric Ireland to save even more. This scheme offers discounts on your electricity or gas bill in addition to the cash grant you’ll receive from SEAI.
KORE Efficiency Incentive with Electric Ireland
If you are an Electric Ireland customer and your home was built before 2006, you could be eligible for a cash grant from the SEAI, and discounts on your electricity or gas bill, depending on the measures you choose to have installed.
If you’re not currently an Electric Ireland customer you may switch at any time to take advantage of this offer. As a new customer, you may also be eligible for any current promotions offered directly by Electric Ireland at the time you switch. You can find a list of eligible measures and the discount amounts by clicking here.
If you are interested please contact us here to arrange for an on-site survey and quotation. You are free to choose from a number of KORE Approved Electric Ireland contractors. Discounts are applied directly to your monthly utility bill once the measures have been installed and your application processed by Electric Ireland.
KORE Deep Retrofit Programme
The KORE Deep Retrofit Programme aims to increase the energy efficiency of older homes to a minimum Building Energy Rating (BER) of A3. As a homeowner you must contact us directly here, where we can the assess the home, and work with you to apply for an SEAI grant of up to 50% off all costs. We are only able to accept a small number of homes each year, but you are welcome to join the waiting list and we’ll let you know when space becomes available.
Other Energy Efficiency Grants Available In Ireland
SEAI Heat Pump Systems Grant
The SEAI Heat Pump Systems Grant aims to increase your homes energy efficiency, by providing an alternative to oil, gas, solid fuels and electric home heating systems. It is open to all homeowners, and landlords, whose dwellings were built and occupied before 2011.
You must employ an independent SEAI Registered Technical Advisor to carry out a technical assessment of your home before you apply for the grant, and advise you on how to make it ‘heat pump ready’. The KORE Better Energy Homes Scheme offer a €200 grant towards this Technical Assessment of your home. To qualify for this funding you must choose your Technical Advisor from the list of SEAI registered Technical Advisors, and complete the heat pump system and any upgrades required according to the programme rules.
Electric Vehicle Grant
The SEAI will provide a grant of up to €5,000 for qualifying private and commercial electric vehicles, applying to Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV) and Plugin Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEV).
The grant amount is subject to the overall price of the vehicle, you can find an extensive list of grant support for both private and commercial vehicles here.
Grant applications are done via your car dealer at the time of purchase. Please note second hand electric vehicles are exempt.
Warmth & Wellbeing Scheme
This scheme aims to provide free, extensive energy efficiency upgrades to eligible homes where an occupant is living with a chronic respiratory condition. An SEAI surveyor will assess your home and outline what upgrades are necessary for increased energy efficiency, and improved living conditions
The scheme works on a referral basis, and to qualify for the scheme you must be referred by the HSE.
If you meet the criteria, fill out the relevant application form and send it to your HSE representative for referral.