The SEAI heat pump grant is Ireland’s biggest single home upgrade grant. When you combine all available payments, a house switching from oil to an air-to-water heat pump can claim up to €12,500.
Grant amounts at a glance
| Grant component | House | Apartment |
|---|---|---|
| Air-to-water heat pump (unit) | €6,500 | €4,500 |
| Central heating system upgrade | €2,000 | €1,000 |
| Renewable heating system bonus | €4,000 | €4,000 |
| Total (maximum) | €12,500 | €9,500 |
| Technical assessment | €200 | €200 |
| Air-to-air heat pump (individual) | €7,500 | €7,500 |
What is the renewable heating bonus?
The €4,000 renewable heating system bonus is paid on top of the unit and central heating grants when you are permanently switching away from oil, gas, or solid fuel as your primary heating system. It is available for all dwelling types.
What does the central heating upgrade grant cover?
The €2,000 grant covers the cost of upgrading your radiators, underfloor heating, and hot water cylinder to work correctly with a heat pump. Heat pumps operate at lower flow temperatures than boilers, which often requires larger or upgraded radiators.
Air-to-air vs air-to-water
Air-to-air heat pumps receive a larger individual grant (€7,500) but do not qualify for the central heating upgrade or renewable bonus. They also only heat air, not water, so they don’t replace a boiler for domestic hot water. Most Irish homes installing a heat pump choose air-to-water.
How to apply
- Get a technical assessment from a SEAI-registered assessor (€200 grant).
- Apply online at seai.ie/grants before works start.
- Hire a SEAI-registered contractor to install the heat pump.
- Submit your claim with the contractor’s invoice and a post-works BER certificate.
Alternatively, use the One Stop Shop scheme, where a single project manager handles everything from assessment to grant claim.
For running cost comparisons, see heat pump vs oil running costs.