New Year New You or at least perhaps new home ! Those small DIY jobs put on the long finger, repairs and renovations could now aprés Christmas at least all be addressed and tackled. One of those areas actually provides money to help you with those improvements. As Ireland faces more pressure to become as environmentally friendly as our EU neighbours including the UK, the SEAI (Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland) has a wide range of grants available to homeowners, business owners, communities and large industries who are willing to play their part. John Lowe of Money Doctors.ie looks at the home area where you can qualify for these lucrative grants…they include grants for the following, as well as a bonus for multiple upgrades:
- Attic & wall insulation ( 30% of a home’s heat is lost through poorly insulated walls ) € 800 for each, more for detached houses.
- Ventilation and draft proofing ( window & doors )
- Solar Thermal ( costing between € 800 to € 1300 per square metre )
- Building Energy Rating (BER)
- Heat Pump System ( alternative to fossil fuel heating. grant values are € 3,500 for any pump system going to water and for air to air € 400 … there is an additional € 200 grant for the Register Technical Adviser who inspects same )
- Heating Controls ( an upgrade grant is € 700 ) .. saves up to 20%.
- Solar water heating & electricity grant is € 1200 while you can get € 800 for each Kilowatt (kWp) of solar PV installed – the power output of the panel – up to 2kW equal to about 6 solar panels. € 250 for every additional kWp up to 4kWp with a total cap on the panels at € 2,100. These can save c. € 200 – € 300 per year on your domestic electricity bill.
- EV/ Charger for your electric car (€ 300 for 2024)
- Compact fluorescent lamps
Do I qualify?
In order to qualify for these grants, you must:
- Be a homeowner or landlord whose home was built and occupied before 2006, if applying for an Insulation or Heating Controls grant.
- Be a homeowner or landlord whose home was built and occupied before 2011, if applying for a Heat Pump System or Solar Thermal grant.
- Home built and occupied before 31st December 2020
- No previous funding for Solar PV at this MPRN
You can apply online for any SEAI grant here: https://hes.seai.ie/GrantProcess/ApplyForGrantAfterWizard.aspx
Insulation grants include
- € 800 for attic insulation ( for an apartment …detached house will attract up to € 1,500 )
- € 700 for cavity wall insultation ( for an apartment.. for a detached house it could be as much as € 1,700 )
- € 1,500 for “dry-lining” ( on apartment or € 2,000 for a mid-terrace house…a whopping € 4,500 for a detached home )
- € 3,000 for external wall insulation ( on apartment or € 3,500 for a mid-terraced …detached house up to € 8,000 )
If you complete 3 upgrades, your grant value will be increased by € 300, 4 upgrades €400. Grants last for 6 months so the work must be completed by then.
If your home was built and occupied before 2006, and you are in receipt of social welfare payments, you may be eligible for free energy efficiency improvements.
Mobility Aids Grant Scheme
This scheme does what it says on the tin, offering financial help towards the cost of upgrading your home in line with your mobility needs, such as access ramps, suitable bathrooms or stair lifts. Although the scheme can cover the full cost of works needed, the maximum available grant is € 6,000.
Do I qualify?
In order to qualify for this scheme, you must:
- Have a yearly income of less than € 30,000.
Housing Aid for Older People Scheme
Similar to the Mobility Aids Grant Scheme, this scheme exists in order to facilitate older people with more complex needs to live at home by upgrading their properties. The maximum grant amount available is €8,000.
Do I qualify?
In order to qualify for this scheme, you must:
- Be over 66 years of age (although exceptions may be made by local authorities).
- Have a yearly income of less than € 30,000 in order to qualify for the maximum grant rate of 95%.
- Have a yearly income of between € 30,001 and € 35,000 in order to qualify for the next greatest grant rate of 85%.
- Have a yearly income of between € 35,001 and € 40,000 in order to qualify for the next greatest grant rate of 75%.
- Have a yearly income of between € 40,001 and € 50,000 in order to qualify for the next greatest grant rate of 50%.
- Have a yearly income of between € 50,001 and € 60,000 in order to qualify for the lowest grant rate of 30%.
Domestic Lead Remediation Grant scheme
This scheme was introduced in 2016 to assist private householders with the costs of replacing lead pipes and fittings where present. The grant is administered by local authorities and is not means-tested. The maximum grant available is €5,000.
Do I qualify?
In order to qualify for this scheme, you must:
- Occupy the house concerned as your normal place of residence.
- Be able to provide evidence that there are lead pipes and related fittings located within the internal distribution system of the house.
There you have it – there is no excuse now. You’ll be financially better off too!