Free cavity wall insulation: SEAI's fully funded upgrades
Free upgrades are for homeowners who own and live in a home built and occupied before 2006 and get Fuel Allowance, Working Family Payment, One-Parent Family Payment, Domiciliary Care Allowance or Carer's Allowance (living with the person you care for), or Jobseeker's Allowance or Disability Allowance for over 6 months with a child under 7. An SEAI surveyor visits and recommends what's done, which can include insulation. There's a waiting list.
Who qualifies, what the surveyor can include, and how it compares with the higher grant.
Free, no obligation. One registered installer prices it, not five.
- €0for the work, if you qualify
- Before 2006built and first lived in
- Own itand live in it
- 1 visitan SEAI surveyor decides what's done
Who qualifies
- You own the home and live in it.
- It was built and occupied before 2006.
- You get one of these: Fuel Allowance, Working Family Payment, One-Parent Family Payment, Domiciliary Care Allowance or Carer's Allowance (living with the person you care for), or Jobseeker's Allowance or Disability Allowance for over 6 months with a child under 7.
SEAI has the scheme, and you check your eligibility with them.
What can be done
An SEAI surveyor visits and recommends upgrades from the home's age, size, heating and condition. The list can include insulation, lagging jackets, draught-proofing, energy-efficient lighting, renewable heating and windows. You don't choose the measures: the surveyor does.
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, owner on a qualifying payment: a €1,700 grant, and the job typically costs €1,585, so the grant covers the job.
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.
Free upgrades or the higher grant
| Free upgrades | Higher individual grant | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to you | Nothing for the work | About €0 to €50 on most houses |
| Built before | 2006 | 2011 |
| Who decides the work | SEAI's surveyor | You and your installer |
| Waiting | A waiting list | Approval online, usually in minutes |
Taking the higher grant now doesn't cost you your place on the list.
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
Can I get cavity wall insulation for free?
Free upgrades are for homeowners who own and live in a home built and occupied before 2006 and get Fuel Allowance, Working Family Payment, One-Parent Family Payment, Domiciliary Care Allowance or Carer's Allowance (living with the person you care for), or Jobseeker's Allowance or Disability Allowance for over 6 months with a child under 7. An SEAI surveyor visits and recommends what's done, which can include insulation. There's a waiting list.
What year must the house be built before?
Built and occupied before 2006, for SEAI's free upgrades. The individual cavity wall grant is for homes built and occupied before 2011.
Do I choose what gets done?
No. An SEAI surveyor assesses the home and recommends the upgrades.
Can I get the higher grant while I wait?
Yes. Using the higher individual grant doesn't affect your place on the waiting list for free upgrades.
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.