The SEAI heat pump grant is worth up to €14,500, covering the heat pump unit itself, central heating works where the install design needs them, and the €2,000 boiler scrappage grant added on 29 September 2026. Verify current figures on seai.ie before proceeding. This is one of eight SEAI home energy grants available in 2026. See the full list of SEAI grants for everything else you can claim.
The €2,000 fossil fuel boiler scrappage grant announced on 29 September 2026 is live for houses built before 2021 replacing an oil, gas, solid fuel or electric storage heating system, and is added automatically to applications already in progress. SEAI's grant values table has now caught up: €14,500 for a house, €11,500 for an apartment. The separate €4,000 Renewable Heat Bonus line is gone from the individual grant page, folded into a single unit grant of up to €10,500. The One Stop Shop table still lists the old €6,500 plus €4,000 bonus. Full detail: the boiler scrappage grant and SEAI grant changes, October 2026.
What the SEAI Heat Pump Grant Covers
The grant is made up of three separate components. You do not have to take all three, but most qualifying homes will be eligible for the full amount.
| Grant component | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Heat pump unit grant | Up to €10,500 | Covers the heat pump itself; applies to air-to-water, ground-source, exhaust-air-to-water, and water-to-water systems on SEAI’s approved product list. Air-to-air systems are a separate line capped at €9,500 all in (see below). |
| Central heating grant | Up to €2,000 | Covers new radiators or underfloor heating where the install design needs them to run the heat pump efficiently. Not available for air-to-air systems, which do not heat water. |
| Boiler scrappage grant | €2,000 | Paid where an oil or gas boiler, solid fuel system or electric storage heating is removed. Also paid where the house had no central heating at all. |
| Maximum total (air-to-water / ground-source) | €14,500 | €11,500 for an apartment |
| Maximum total (air-to-air) | €9,500 | Same figure for a house or an apartment; these systems do not heat water |
Source: SEAI Heat Pump Systems Grant page. Amounts read from SEAI on 3 October 2026. Always verify current figures before applying.
If you landed here looking for help replacing an oil or gas boiler with another boiler, there is no grant for that. The €2,000 scrappage grant above is the state's answer: it pays you to take the boiler out, not to put a new one in. We cover why, and the €700 heating controls grant that applies if you are keeping your boiler, on our SEAI boiler grant page.
The grant is only one side of the sum. For what the install itself is quoted at, what the net figure looks like once each component is applied, and what SEAI's own figures say about running a heat pump against oil, see heat pump cost in Ireland.
Who Qualifies for the Heat Pump Grant
The eligibility conditions narrow the field considerably. The main requirements are:
- Home built and occupied before 2021. Your home must have been built and occupied on or before 31 December 2020. Homes built from 2021 onwards were required to meet higher building fabric standards under the revised Part L regulations and generally do not qualify. Check seai.ie for full details.
- SEAI-registered heat pump installer. You must use a contractor on SEAI’s registered list. Work completed by an unregistered installer is not grant-eligible, regardless of the quality of the install.
- Heat loss check before you apply, BER after. A home built before 2007 needs a Technical Assessment (with a €200 grant towards it) unless a valid BER already shows a Heat Loss Indicator at or below 2.3 W/(K.m²). A home built from 2007 signs a Self-Declaration Form instead. Every applicant needs a post-works BER before the grant is paid.
- Heat pump on SEAI’s approved product list. Not every brand or model qualifies. Your installer should confirm the specific unit is approved before quoting.
- Not already connected to district heating. Homes on a district heating network are ineligible.
If your home was built after 2020, a heat pump may still be a worthwhile upgrade. It just will not qualify for the SEAI grant. In that case, compare the total cost without grant support against your current heating bills before committing.
Types of Heat Pumps Covered
The grant applies to five categories of heat pump. Exhaust-air-to-water systems, which recover heat from the home’s mechanical extract ventilation, get the same €14,500 bundle as air-to-water. The other four are below, and the maximum grant differs by type:
- Air-to-water heat pumps: the most common type installed in Irish homes (~90% of retrofits). An external unit extracts heat from outside air and uses it to heat water for radiators and the hot water cylinder. Eligible for the full €14,500 bundle (unit + central heating + boiler scrappage).
- Ground-source heat pumps: extract heat from the ground via buried pipes (horizontal loop) or boreholes (vertical). Higher performance in winter but installation is significantly more expensive due to ground works. Eligible for the full €14,500 bundle.
- Water-to-water heat pumps: extract heat from a water source such as a well, lake, or river. Limited applicability in typical Irish residential settings. Eligible for the full €14,500 bundle.
- Air-to-air heat pumps: provide space heating only and do not heat water, so they are not a direct replacement for an oil or gas central heating system. They are a separate line on SEAI's table, capped at €9,500 in a house or an apartment, and they are not eligible for the €2,000 central heating grant.
For most Irish homes switching from oil or gas, air-to-water is the appropriate choice and the one that qualifies for the highest grant level.
Heat Pump Grant vs Solar Panel Grant: How Do They Compare?
The two grants are frequently considered together because they serve the same household and are often installed in sequence, or at the same time.
| Heat pump grant | Solar PV grant | |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum grant value | €14,500 | €1,800 |
| Typical installed cost before grant | €10,000–€18,000 | €8,000–€12,500 (4–6 kWp) |
| Typical installed cost after grant | €1,500–€9,500 (depending on which components apply) | €6,200–€10,700 |
| Disruption level | High: significant internal works, possible radiator replacement | Low: typically 1–2 days, no internal structural works |
| Can you claim both? | Yes. The two grants are independent and can be stacked | |
The heat pump grant is substantially larger in absolute terms, but the installation is more complex and costly. A 4 kWp solar system after grant can cost €6,200–€8,700 and pays back in 7–10 years on most Irish homes. A heat pump install with the full bundle claimed can leave very little net to pay, but only if your home fabric is suitable and you are currently on oil or gas.
The combination of both is increasingly common. Solar panels generate cheap daytime electricity; a heat pump runs most efficiently on electricity. Pairing them reduces running costs on both sides. If you are considering both, the two grants are applied for separately and do not affect each other. See the full breakdown at SEAI Heat Pump and Solar Grant: Can You Claim Both?
SEAI One Stop Shops
SEAI’s One Stop Shop (OSS) scheme is a managed service for homeowners who want someone else to handle the process end to end. An approved One Stop Shop provider carries out the home energy assessment, selects a registered contractor, manages the installation, applies for all SEAI grants on your behalf, and deducts the grant value upfront from what you pay, so you never need to claim it back yourself. You deal with one company rather than coordinating between an installer and the SEAI portal.
One Stop Shops are particularly practical for a full home energy upgrade combining multiple grants: heat pump, insulation, solar, and others. They can also help you access the Home Energy Upgrade Loan Scheme (minimum loan €5,000) if you need to bridge the gap between the grant and the full installation cost. See our full guide to how the One Stop Shop works, its grant values, and who it suits, or check the current list of approved providers on the SEAI One Stop Shop page.
Solar Quotes Ireland matches you with SEAI-registered solar installers covering your county. If you are exploring solar as part of a wider home energy upgrade, get a quote from local installers. No fee, no obligation.
Get a Solar Quote →Frequently Asked Questions
The SEAI heat pump grant is worth up to €14,500 for air-to-water, ground-source, exhaust-air and water-to-water systems in a house, and €11,500 in an apartment. It breaks down as up to €10,500 for the heat pump unit, up to €2,000 for central heating works where the design requires them, and €2,000 boiler scrappage for removing an oil or gas boiler, solid fuel system or electric storage heating. Air-to-air systems are capped at €9,500. These figures were read from SEAI on 3 October 2026. Verify current figures on seai.ie before applying.
Air-to-water, ground-source, exhaust-air-to-water, water-to-water and air-to-air heat pumps all qualify for the SEAI grant, provided the specific unit is on SEAI’s approved product list. Air-to-water systems are eligible for the full €14,500 bundle (unit, central heating and boiler scrappage). Air-to-air systems are capped at €9,500 and are not eligible for the €2,000 central heating grant, because they do not heat water or serve radiators. For most homes switching from oil or gas, air-to-water is the right choice.
Yes. The SEAI Solar Electricity Grant (up to €1,800) and the SEAI Heat Pump Grant (up to €14,500) are separate schemes with separate applications. Claiming one does not affect eligibility for the other, and you can apply for both on the same home. Many Irish homeowners are pairing both: solar panels generate cheap daytime electricity that reduces the running cost of the heat pump. See the full breakdown: SEAI Heat Pump and Solar Grant Stack.
Applications are submitted through the SEAI online portal at seai.ie. You will need a Technical Assessment (homes built before 2007, unless a valid BER shows HLI 2.3 or lower) or a Self-Declaration Form, an SEAI-registered heat pump contractor, and your MPRN. Works cannot start until SEAI issues a Letter of Offer and you accept it. Alternatively, an SEAI-approved One Stop Shop provider can manage the entire process on your behalf (from survey to grant application) and will deduct the grant value upfront from the cost of your works. See the current list on the SEAI One Stop Shop page.
Sources: SEAI Heat Pump Systems Grant; SEAI One Stop Shop scheme; SEAI: Increased grant amounts for homeowners (3 February 2026). Grant amounts and eligibility re-read on seai.ie on 7 October 2026, so check seai.ie for the latest figures.
Published: 28 May 2026. Updated: 7 October 2026. Author: Neil Russell.