The 2026 SEAI grant table at a glance
SEAI runs three main routes: Better Energy Homes (individual measure grants), One Stop Shop (managed deep-retrofit with one contractor handling everything), and Warmer Homes Scheme (free upgrades for low-income households). The numbers below are the standard 2026 individual-measure grants under Better Energy Homes.
| Measure | Detached | Semi-D / End-terrace | Mid-terrace | Apartment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Attic insulation | €2,000 | €1,300 | €1,200 | €800 |
| Cavity wall insulation | €1,800 | €1,200 | €800 | €700 |
| External wall insulation (EWI) | €8,000 | €6,000 | €4,500 | €3,000 |
| Internal wall insulation (IWI) | €4,500 | €3,500 | €2,500 | €1,500 |
| Heat pump (incl. assessment) | €6,500 | €6,500 | €6,500 | €4,500 |
| Heating controls | €700 | €700 | €700 | €700 |
| Solar PV (per kWp, max 4 kWp) | €700/kWp | €700/kWp | €700/kWp | €700/kWp |
| Solar water heating | €1,200 | €1,200 | €1,200 | — |
| BER assessment (post-works) | €50 | €50 | €50 | €50 |
The 2 March 2026 enhancement
From 2 March 2026, households receiving qualifying welfare payments — Fuel Allowance, Working Family Payment, Jobseeker's Allowance (long-term), Disability Allowance, One-Parent Family Payment, Domiciliary Care Allowance, Carer's Allowance/Benefit and several others — can claim enhanced individual grants while still keeping their place on the Warmer Homes Scheme waiting list. Previously, applying for an individual grant disqualified you from Warmer Homes — the change removes that.
| Measure | Standard grant | Enhanced grant (welfare household) |
|---|---|---|
| Attic insulation | €800–€2,000 | €2,500 |
| Cavity wall insulation | €700–€1,800 | €2,300 |
Eligibility — the basics
- Home built and occupied before 2011 for individual measures (attic, cavity, EWI, heating controls, solar). Heat pump and One Stop Shop routes have stricter pre-works BER requirements.
- You must apply before work starts. Retrospective applications are not accepted.
- You must use an SEAI Registered Contractor. The current contractor panel for the Warmer Homes Scheme alone is around 36 contractors nationwide; the wider Better Energy Homes panel runs to several hundred.
- For the heat pump grant, a technical assessment from an SEAI-registered assessor is mandatory, and your home's fabric must be sufficient (typically B3 BER target post-works).
How the money flows
Individual measure grants are paid to you, the homeowner, after the work is done and a final BER assessment is uploaded. You pay the contractor in full first, then SEAI pays you. This catches some homeowners out — budget for the full upfront cost.
The One Stop Shop route works differently: SEAI pays the One Stop Shop directly, and you pay the OSS the difference. Less cashflow strain, but you give up some price flexibility because you're using a single bundled contractor.
Cork-specific notes
Cork has a strong contractor density — around 40+ SEAI-registered insulation contractors active in Cork city and county. EWI specialists like EcoWrap, multi-measure contractors like HPS Group (Carrigaline), and a long tail of smaller installers. The Cork insulation comparison page walks through who specialises in what.
Application step-by-step (Better Energy Homes)
- Get a pre-works BER assessment if you don't already have one less than 10 years old (€150–€300).
- Get quotes from 2–3 SEAI-registered contractors. Ask for itemised quotes that show grant-eligible vs non-eligible work separately.
- Apply on the SEAI online portal and wait for written grant approval (usually 2–4 weeks).
- Schedule and complete the work.
- Get a post-works BER assessment (subsidised at €50 by SEAI for grant recipients).
- Upload the post-works BER and contractor invoices to the SEAI portal. Payment to your bank account typically follows in 2–3 weeks.
What SEAI doesn't fund
- Windows and doors — no SEAI grant under Better Energy Homes (One Stop Shop route includes them as part of bundled deep retrofit).
- Boiler replacement (gas or oil) — explicitly excluded; SEAI is moving households off fossil fuels.
- Standalone airtightness work without other measures.
- Internal aesthetic or non-thermal renovation work.