The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) offers a grant toward the cost of installing a heat pump in an existing home, as part of the wider push to move Irish homes away from oil and gas heating. This page is general information, not an official grant offer or approval.
Who can generally apply
The heat pump grant is aimed at existing homes built and occupied before a cut-off date set by SEAI, rather than new-build homes (which have their own separate regulatory requirements). The property generally needs a reasonable level of existing insulation, since a heat pump works best — and is only funded — in a home that can retain heat efficiently at lower running temperatures.
The BER requirement
A Building Energy Rating (BER) assessment is generally required both before and after the works, since SEAI uses it to confirm the home was suitable for a heat pump and that the installation achieved the expected efficiency improvement. Homes that don't meet the minimum pre-works insulation standard are usually advised to complete insulation upgrades first, either separately or through SEAI's bundled retrofit options.
Registered contractors and the application process
Grant works generally must be carried out by a contractor registered with SEAI for that specific grant, and the application is normally submitted before work begins rather than claimed afterward — starting work first can risk losing eligibility. The exact grant amount depends on the type of heat pump and current SEAI rates, which are set and periodically updated by SEAI itself.
Key takeaways
Check your home's existing insulation and BER situation before applying, only use an SEAI-registered contractor for the grant-funded works, and confirm current grant amounts and eligibility rules directly on seai.ie or by contacting SEAI before committing to a contractor.