How Do I Qualify for The SEAI Warmer Homes Energy Scheme?
The Warmer Homes Scheme is funded by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) and is aimed at providing free home energy upgrades to homeowners who are in receipt of certain social welfare payments. To qualify, you must be the owner of a property built before 2006 that has a BER rating of C or less. To apply, you can complete the SEAI online application form.
What is the Warmer Homes Scheme?
The SEAI's Warmer Homes Scheme offers free energy upgrades to eligible homeowners receiving specific social welfare payments. These upgrades are aimed at enhancing home heating and energy efficiency.
The scheme prioritizes older, less energy-efficient homes, ensuring those most in need receive support.
If you have benefited from the scheme previously, you can apply again for further upgrades to your home provided you meet the criteria.
How Do I Qualify for the Warmer Homes Scheme?
To qualify for this scheme, you must meet the following criteria for both you and your home.
You must be in receipt of one of the following social welfare payments:
- Fuel Allowance
- Working Family Payment
- Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Disability Allowance
- Domiciliary Care Allowance
- One Parent Family Payment
- Carer’s Allowance
Your home must meet the following criteria:
- You must own your home and be living in it.
- Your home must have been built and occupied before 2006.
- Your home must have a BER rating of C, D, E, or F.
If your home doesn’t have a BER rating, the SEAI will offer a free BER assessment to check that your home meets the qualifying criteria of having a BER of C or lower.
What Energy Upgrades are Available on the Warmer Homes Scheme?
The Warmer Homes Scheme offers funding to cover home energy upgrades, including:
- Insulation.
- Cavity Wall insulation - including internal wall and external wall insulation.
- Draught-proofing.
- Lagging jackets.
- Energy efficient lighting.
- Advice on home energy efficiency.
A new home heating system and or replacement windows are occasionally covered by the scheme.
Since 1 January 2025, if you qualify for a new heating system, the scheme will not cover a new fossil fuel boiler, such as an oil boiler or gas boiler. However, it will cover renewable heating systems such as a heat pump.
If your home was surveyed for the scheme before 1 January 2025, a new fossil fuel boiler will still be covered, if required.
Your windows will only be replaced if your walls are insulated at the same time and the existing windows are single-glazed windows. The SEAI decides if replacement windows are needed on a case by case basis.
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How Do I Apply for the Warmer Homes Scheme?
There are 4 steps to the application process:
- Application
- SEAI home survey
- Works completed
- Works assessed and new BER assessment
Application Process
You can apply for the Warmer Homes Scheme either:
- Online
- By post
Those wishing to apply online can do so through the Warmer Homes Scheme application portal on the SEAI website.
You can also use the application portal to check if you qualify for the scheme before applying.
If you prefer to apply by post, you can download and fill out the application form and send it to:
Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland
P.O. Box 119
Caherciveen
Kerry
Ireland
SEAI Home Survey
Once your application has been approved, the SEAI will send an inspector to your home to assess if your home is suitable for the work.
A complete survey of your home will be carried out in which the inspector will:
- Survey the inside and outside of your home, including the attic.
- Measure, photograph, and record information about your home.
- Assess the overall suitability of your home for energy upgrades.
- Discuss their findings while outlining what work should be carried out.
Works
Once the assessment has been carried out and the works agreed upon, the SEAI will send a contractor to your property to start the work.
Before starting any upgrades to your home, the contractor will go through their plan for the upgrades and will agree a schedule for the completion of the works.
Make sure to get a written contract which clearly states:
- The works that will be carried out.
- A final date for completing the works.
- Any other agreements you have made between yourself and the contractor.
Works Assessed and BER Assessment
Once the work has been completed, the contractor will provide you with any documentation related to the work, including any warranties for installations such as a new boiler or heat pump.
Following this, a BER rating assessment will be carried out to make sure that the energy efficiency of your home has been brought up to a minimum level B.
The BER rating certificate will be posted to you and your home’s rating will also be published on the SEAI’s national BER registry.
How Much Does the Warmer Homes Scheme Cost?
There is no charge for any work done under this scheme. Provided you meet the criteria and the application is successful, the entire costs will be covered by the SEAI.
Despite this, should you decide to sell your home within 5 years of having the works done, you will need to inform the SEAI as you may be asked to refund some or all of the grant.
This is at the discretion of the SEAI based on the circumstances under which you have decided to sell the house.
How Do I Contact the Warmer Homes Scheme?
For any queries relating to the Warmer Homes Scheme, you can contact the SEAI at the following:
| Contact | Detials |
|---|---|
| Phone Number | 01808 2100 |
| [email protected] | |
| Postal Address | Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland P.O. Box 119 Caherciveen Kerry Ireland |
| Website | http://www.seai.ie/ |
The SEAI will be able to answer questions you have in relation to application process, eligibility and any works carried out on your home.
Are There Other Schemes Similar to the Warmer Homes Scheme?
In addition to the Warmer Home's Scheme, there are several other schemes and grants available to homeowners, in particular those considered vulnerable priority customers, to help with energy costs and or home efficiency upgrades.
Schemes available include:
- Household Benefits Package: Provides support to eligible homeowners for their energy bills and TV licence.
- Free Electricity Allowance: A monthly electricity allowance paid to recipients of the Household Benefits Package
- SEAI Grants Scheme: Offers a range of grants for home improvements, including heating systems and solar panels.
- Windows and Doors Grant: Eligible households can benefit from funding towards the upgrading of windows and doors.
- Budget 2025: The Irish government announces changes to schemes and grants each year as well as changes in eligibility.
- Household Budget Scheme: Those on qualifying social welfare payments can arrange for part of their payments to be made directly to their energy supplier.
Each of the above-mentioned schemes have their own eligibility and application processes, and we recommended visiting the respective pages to get the full details.