Home Energy Upgrade Loan Scheme

The Home Energy Upgrade Loan is a low-interest loan for homeowners who want to make their property more energy efficient.

You must use the loan for home energy upgrades that are also funded by a home energy upgrade grant from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI).

You can get the loan for the home you live in, or a property you rent out.

The loan can be drawn down before you start the work. This removes some of the upfront financial barriers to getting the upgrade works done.

Loans are available until 31 December 2026 or until the funding runs out.

If you can't afford to make your home more energy efficient, you may qualify for a free energy upgrade with the SEAI Warmer Homes Scheme.

You must be getting one of these SEAI home energy upgrade grants to get the loan:

• Better Energy Homes Grant
• National Home Energy Upgrade Scheme
• Community Grant Scheme

The loans can be used for:

• A deep retrofit of your home. This means upgrading many parts of your home’s structure and energy systems.
• 1 or 2 upgrades that will significantly improve the energy performance of your home.

The work might include:

• Insulating your home
• Installing a heat pump
• Upgrading your heating controls
• Installing solar power with solar panels

You cannot get the loan to install only solar panels. 

However, you can get funding for solar panels as part of a deep retrofit to your home under the SEAI’s National Home Energy Upgrade Scheme or Community Grant Scheme.

If you are just getting a couple of upgrades with the Better Energy Homes Scheme, the loan will not cover solar panels. However, 25% of the amount you borrow can be used for other changes to your home, that could include the cost of your solar panels. 

The loan is currently available from AIB, Bank of Ireland and Permanent TSB.

Some other lenders are in the process of signing up to the scheme and are expected to begin offering the loan in 2024. These include:

• Avant Money
• Clonmel Credit Union
• Connect Credit Union
• First South Credit Union
• Listowel Credit Union
• Naomh Breandan Credit Union
• North Midlands Credit Union
• Progressive Credit Union

You can borrow between €5,000 and €75,000 per property.

You can get loans for up to 3 properties or €225,000 per applicant.

Loan terms range from a minimum of one year up to a maximum of 10 years.

The loans are unsecured loans. This means that no security or personal guarantee is needed.

The interest rates are different depending on who you get your loan from. But they will be lower than rates for regular personal loans. This is because the interest rates are subsidised by the Government and the loans are backed by the European Investment Bank.

The first banks participating in the scheme are offering rates that start from 3%.

To qualify for the loan, you must meet these conditions:

Resident and property in Ireland

• You must be living in Ireland
• The property must be in the Republic of Ireland
• You must own the property. It can be the home you live in, or a property you rent out.

About the work on your property

• You must qualify for an SEAI home energy upgrade grant for the work
• The upgrade work must achieve at least a 20% improvement in the home’s current Building Energy Rating
• The work must be done by either:
  • An SEAI registered One Stop Shop
  • Energy Partner
  • Community Project Coordinator
• You must use the loan for home energy upgrade work:
  • At least 75% of the loan must be used for energy efficiency measures
  • 25% can be used for non-energy related works, like redecorating your home

You cannot get a loan to fund work that has already been completed.

The SBCI has more information about the loan’s terms and conditions.

1. Get an energy assessment for your property

You must get one of these SEAI registered service providers to do an energy assessment of your property:

• SEAI Registered One Stop Shop
• Energy Partner
• Community Project Coordinator

When they have done the assessment, they will give you a Home Energy Summary Report.

You can apply for the loan, if the upgrades recommended in the report could lead to at least a 20% improvement in your home’s current Building Energy Rating.

2. Get an SEAI home energy upgrade grant

To get the low-cost loan, your upgrade project must be supported by an SEAI grant. Your SEAI registered service provider will apply for one of these SEAI home energy upgrade grants for you:

• Better Energy Homes Grant
• National Home Energy Upgrade Scheme
• Community Grant Scheme

You must qualify for one these grants to get the loan.

3. Apply for a Home Energy Upgrade Loan

Contact one of the financial institutions that offers the Home Energy Upgrade Home Loan. The Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland has a list of the financial institutions that currently offer the loan.

You will need to show the financial institution your Home Energy Summary Report

Each participating financial institution uses its own credit criteria, policies and procedures to decide if they will approve your loan application.

4. Begin the work on your property

When your loan is approved, you can begin your home energy upgrade work.

You can find more information about the Home Energy Upgrade Loan Scheme on the SEAI’s website and the SBCI’s website.