Why cavity wall grants get refused
Cavity wall grants fail on the rules, not the paperwork alone: work started before approval, a home built or first lived in from 2011, an earlier wall grant on the MPRN, walls only partly insulated, an installer not registered for cavity wall insulation, a missing post-works BER, or a claim after the 8-month deadline.
The reasons, and how to make sure none of them is yours.
Free, no obligation. One registered installer prices it, not five.
- Approvalbefore any work or materials
- 8 monthsthe deadline to claim
- Every wallor no grant
- 1wall grant per MPRN, then a second measure
The reasons
- Work or materials before approval. Neither qualifies. Apply first, every time.
- The year. Built or first lived in from 2011 means no wall grant.
- An earlier wall grant. One per MPRN. Ask SEAI before you apply if you're not sure what was done before you bought the house.
- Some walls, not all. Partial insulation isn't eligible: every outside wall must be fully insulated.
- The wrong installer. They must be SEAI-registered for this type of work.
- No post-works BER. Every claim needs one, by a registered BER assessor.
- The deadline. 8 months from the offer. Missed, and the offer lapses.
- An offer not accepted. Within 30 days, or you apply again.
Check your cavity wall grant
Four quick taps. You see your grant as you go, then what the job typically costs after it, the BER and your next step. Your number is only asked for at the end, if you want a price.
A semi-detached built before 2011, no earlier wall grant: a €1,300 grant, and the job typically costs €1,585, so about €285 is left to pay.
How this is worked out
SEAI pays a fixed cavity wall grant for each house type, and a higher fixed amount to homeowners on certain welfare payments and to landlords with a HAP or RAS tenant. The typical cost is the median price of cavity wall insulation for your house type across thousands of grant-funded jobs, and the post-works BER is its median price less its own grant. Your installer prices your walls after a look: it's a guide to plan with, never a quote. SEAI decides every grant.
If SEAI inspects
SEAI may inspect the home after the work. If it finds the work needs redoing, the installer has to come back, and payment waits until it's done.
Cavity Wall Insulation Grants guides & price breakdowns
Straight answers to what people ask most: itemised costs, specifications, planning or grants, and what to check before you book.
More guides & resources: The BER after cavity wall insulation · Had a wall grant before? The second wall measure · All guides & calculator hub · Technical & trade glossary · Frequently asked questions · All areas covered
Questions people ask
Why was my cavity wall grant refused?
Cavity wall grants fail on the rules, not the paperwork alone: work started before approval, a home built or first lived in from 2011, an earlier wall grant on the MPRN, walls only partly insulated, an installer not registered for cavity wall insulation, a missing post-works BER, or a claim after the 8-month deadline.
Can I appeal a refusal?
Contact SEAI with your application reference and the reason given. If the reason is a rule (the year, an earlier wall grant, work before approval), the answer won't change.
What if the installer did only some walls?
Partial insulation isn't eligible. Every outside wall has to be insulated for the grant.
Cavity Wall Insulation Grants across all 26 counties
Requests from all 26 counties go to one vetted local specialist who covers your county — from Dublin, Cork, Galway and Limerick to Kildare, Meath, Wicklow, Waterford and Donegal. Pick your county below for local prices, specifications and advice. Compare all areas covered →
Check your cavity wall grant
Four taps to your grant and what's left to pay, then one SEAI-registered installer who covers your county rings with a price.