Warmer Homes
Free attic insulation: the Warmer Homes Scheme
SEAI's Warmer Homes Scheme insulates attics for nothing if you own and live in a home built before 2006 and get a qualifying payment such as Fuel Allowance. SEAI puts the wait at about 24 to 26 months from applying to finished work.
If the wait is too long, the paid grant at the higher rate covers most of the median cost.
Free, no obligation. One SEAI-registered contractor prices it, not five.
- €2,000SEAI attic grant for a detached house
- €2,500at the higher rate
- €300 to €600typically left to pay on a semi-D
- 300 mmof wool: what SEAI's standard takes
Who qualifies
The payments that count
- Fuel Allowance
- Jobseeker's Allowance, for over 6 months, with a child under 7
- Working Family Payment
- One-Parent Family Payment
- Domiciliary Care Allowance
- Carer's Allowance, if you live with the person you care for
- Disability Allowance, for over 6 months, with a child under 7
You must also own and live in the home, built and lived in before 2006.
The attic
When the attic is included
- A surveyor decides what the home gets.
- Already fully insulated, about 12 inches: you won't qualify again.
- A converted attic used as a room: no.
- An attic that couldn't be done before because it was floored, now cleared: you may qualify.
- Work done under the scheme on or after 1 July 2018 usually rules you out.
From SEAI's scheme page.
The wait
How long it takes
| Stage | SEAI's estimate |
|---|---|
| Pre-works BER | Up to 12 months after applying |
| Home survey | Around 14 months after applying |
| Works done | About 24 to 26 months after applying |
| Final BER or inspection | 2 to 3 months after the work |
.
The other route
Paid grant at the higher rate
| Home type | SEAI median cost | Higher rate grant | Left to pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Detached house | €2,700 | €2,500 | €200 |
| Semi-D or end of terrace | €2,101 | €1,900 | €201 |
| Mid-terrace | €2,200 | €1,800 | €400 |
| Apartment | €1,515 | €1,400 | €115 |
Median cost of grant-funded attic insulation, January to June 2026. Left to pay is the median less the grant: our sum.
Homeowners on a qualifying welfare payment can take the paid grant at the higher rate instead, and have the attic done in weeks rather than years.
Grant check
Your attic grant and what's left to pay
Two taps: your home, and which rate fits you. The answer is SEAI's fixed grant and its own median cost for the job.
Your SEAI attic insulation grant
€1,500
- SEAI median cost, Jan to Jun 2026
- €2,101
- Left to pay at the median
- €601
SEAI's fixed grant for a semi-d or end of terrace at the standard rate is €1,500. SEAI's median cost for attic insulation on a semi-d or end of terrace from January to June 2026 was €2,101. €2,101 less €1,500 leaves about €601. Our sum; your quote can be higher or lower.
Send this for a real priceHow this is worked out
The grant is SEAI's fixed amount for that home type and rate, as Citizens Information lists it. The median cost is SEAI's own figure from grant-funded attic jobs completed between January and June 2026; the PDF doesn't say whether VAT is in. Left to pay is the median less the grant, our sum. The home must have been built and lived in before 2011, the contractor must be on SEAI's register, and SEAI must approve the grant before work starts. It's an estimate, never a quote.
Your grant
Your attic grant and a price, in 4 taps
Tap your home, when it was built, what's in the attic now and who you are. Then leave your number and one SEAI-registered insulation contractor who covers your area rings you to look at the attic and price it in writing.
FAQ
Questions people ask
Can I get attic insulation for free in Ireland?
Yes, through the Warmer Homes Scheme, if you own and live in a home built before 2006 and get a qualifying payment such as Fuel Allowance.
How long is the wait for the Warmer Homes Scheme?
SEAI says about 24 to 26 months from applying to finished work.
I had my attic done in 2012. Can I get it again?
Usually only if something has changed, such as an attic that was floored now being cleared. Work done on or after 1 July 2018 usually rules you out.
Keep reading
Related guides
- Attic insulation grant amounts 2026Every attic grant rate in one table, and what changed in 2026 by date.
- How to apply for the grantSix steps, the MPRN, and the rule that loses people the grant.
- Attic insulation costSEAI's median cost by home type, before and after the grant.
- How thick should attic insulation be?300 mm, 200 mm, blown wool or boards: what reaches SEAI's standard.