As a resident of Ireland, did you know that you may be eligible for a financial grant to use towards the cost of installing insulation in your home? SEAI grants are designed to provide homeowners and organisations with support towards energy efficient measures that will reduce both their energy costs and their carbon emissions. 

Read on to find out everything you need to know about SEAI grants, including exactly who is eligible for them, what they cover, and how you can apply for this support.

What Are SEAI Grants?

The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) offers a range of grants to residents of the country to help lower their energy costs and reduce their impact on the planet. 

There are SEAI grants for heat pumps and home insulation, helping you to install loft, external wall, or cavity wall insulation in your home, and there are also grants for electric vehicles. Community projects can apply for SEAI grants too, whether that’s for upgrading the energy efficiency of a community centre or helping a small business to achieve its carbon neutral targets. 

Who Is Eligible For SEAI Grants?

Homeowners, businesses, and community projects can all apply for SEAI grants. Property owners can benefit from insulation grants, while businesses can apply for support with purchasing electric vehicles. 

To be eligible for an SEAI insulation grant, homeowners need to be living in a property built before 2011, and it needs to be their main residence. Some homeowners may even be eligible for completely free home energy improvements under what’s known as the Fully Funded Energy Upgrade Scheme.
 

For support under the fully funded scheme, homeowners need to be living in a property that was inhabited before 2006 and had its ESB meter installed before this date, and they need to be receiving a specific welfare payment, such as:

• Fuel Allowance
• Working Family Payment
• Job Seekers Allowance
• Carers Allowance
• Disability Allowance

For the full list of criteria, visit the SEAI website.

What Are The Different SEAI Insulation Grants?

Homeowners can apply for financial support to use towards installing different types of energy efficient insulation in their homes. Eligible residents in Ireland can choose to access support with the cost of cavity wall, external wall, dry lining, and attic insulation - opt for one type or invest in several, depending on your home’s requirements.

Cavity Wall Insulation

The majority of homes built since 1920 tend to have cavity walls, which means there is a gap in the centre of every wall that can be filled with insulation from the outside to improve both a home’s thermal performance and energy efficiency. 

SEAI grants can be used towards the cost of installing cavity wall insulation, with different amounts available depending on the size of your home:

• If you live in an apartment, you could be eligible for a cavity wall insulation grant of €700
• For a mid-terraced property, grants of €800 are available
• Semi-detached or end-of-terrace homes may receive a grant of €1,200
• Detached property owners could be eligible for grants of €1,700

External Wall Insulation

SEAI grants can also be used towards external wall insulation. Sometimes referred to as ‘the wrap’, this process involves fixing insulation materials to the outside of your home. This is a more expensive solution than cavity wall insulation, but larger grants are available, depending on the size of your property:

• €3,000 for an apartment
• €3,500 for a mid-terraced property
• €6,000 for a semi-detached or end-of-terrace home
• €8,000 for a detached house

Dry Lining Insulation

Dry lining insulation is sometimes also called internal insulation, as it involves fitting insulation boards to the inside of exterior walls to help improve a property’s thermal performance. 

If you’re interested in an SEAI insulation grant for dry lining, you may be eligible to receive:

• €1,500 if you live in an apartment of any size
• €2,000 if you have a mid-terraced property
• €3,500 if you own a semi-detached or end-of-terrace home
• €4,500 if you live in a detached house

Loft Insulation

Installing loft insulation in your home can have significant benefits; it’s a relatively low-cost form of insulation to invest in, but the energy bill savings associated with this measure mean the installation cost can quickly pay for itself. Although attic insulation is more affordable, SEAI grants can provide you with the following support:

• If you live in an apartment (of any size), you could be eligible for a grant of €800
• Mid-terraced property owners could receive an SEAI grant of €1,200 for loft insulation
• Semi-detached or end-of-terrace homeowners could receive €1,300
• For detached property owners, grants of €1,500 are available

SEAI One Stop Shops

SEAI also has a service known as the One Stop Shop. This is as it sounds; a go-to hub where you can benefit from a complete home energy upgrade. 

The One Stop Shop service will support you through every stage of the process from a home energy assessment to the SEAI grant application and from finding a contractor to your follow-up Building Energy Rating (BER) assessment.

How To Apply For An SEAI Grant

If you’re applying for an SEAI insulation grant to help improve the energy efficiency of your home, you’ll need to follow each of the below steps to complete the process:

• Start by thinking about which home energy upgrades you’re interested in. If you’re unsure what would be most beneficial for your home, consider undergoing a home energy assessment
• Once you’ve decided what type of insulation you’d like a grant for, apply for your SEAI grant online, by post, or via a registered energy partner. If you choose the latter, they will then manage the rest of the application process on your behalf
• Next, you’ll need to select an SEAI registered contractor to carry out the installation work for you. Do your research and shop around for quotes to make sure you’re getting a competitive deal. At this stage, check your contractors’ timelines for availability, as the work will need to be carried out within 8 months of the grant’s approval
• Once your grant application has been approved, work can begin - remember that it needs to be complete within 8 months in line with the terms of the grant
• When the work is complete, your home will need to undergo a BER assessment
• Finally, you, your BER assessor, and your contractor will need to complete a Declaration of Works form for each home energy upgrade you’ve received, as well as a Request for Payment form. These forms need submitting via email or post to complete the whole process

You can find more information about the application process via the SEAI website.

Want To Know More About Insulation For Your Home?

At U Value, we’ve been supplying the building industry with insulation products for more than 40 years. We stock fibreglass insulation, stone wool insulation, insulated plasterboard, and more to help improve the energy efficiency of your home and lower your energy costs over time.

If you have any questions about the benefits of any of our products, whether you’re in the process of applying for an SEAI grant or otherwise, please don’t hesitate to contact us here or phone 01 861 2000.