New grant for windows and doors now available

This week saw a new standalone grant become available to homeowners for energy-efficient windows and doors, offering up to €4,000 for windows and €800 per door (max 2) for eligible homes built or occupied before 2011.

The portal to apply for the grant opened on March 3rd and here MyHome outlines the background to it, details of who is eligible and on how to apply.

What is the Grant?

In January 2026, Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment Darragh O'Brien announced a landmark new grant for Irish homeowners to upgrade their windows and doors. This forms part of the Government's National Residential Retrofit Plan 2026, with a record €558 million allocated to home energy upgrades across the country.

The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland’s (SEAI) online portal for standalone individual window and door grant applications opened on March 3^rd 2026. Importantly, any works ordered since the scheme was announced on January 27th 2026 are also eligible, so homeowners who moved quickly can still apply.

This is a significant policy shift. Previously, grants for windows and doors were only available as part of an expensive deep retrofit programme. Under this new scheme, homeowners can apply for windows and doors as standalone individual measures under the Better Energy Homes Scheme — making energy upgrades far more accessible and affordable.

Why has the grant been introduced?

Windows and doors can account for up to 30% of total heat loss in older Irish homes. Upgrading to energy-efficient glazing reduces heating costs, improves indoor comfort and is a critical step in preparing a home for a heat pump installation.

The Government's strategy is clear: better-insulated homes with efficient windows and doors can operate heat pumps at lower temperatures, making the entire system more cost-effective. This grant is designed to help homeowners take a phased approach to retrofitting, rather than committing to a full, costly renovation all at once.

Budget 2026 also maintains 0% VAT on the installation of energy-efficient windows, making now an especially advantageous time to upgrade.

Grant Amounts: How much can you receive?

Grant amounts are fixed and depend on your property type. You can apply for the windows grant, the doors grant, or both.

Note: The doors grant is €800 per door, up to a maximum of two doors (€1,600 total). If your home has more than two external doors, you will need to cover the cost of additional doors yourself.

The grant is not means-tested, meaning it is available to all eligible homeowners regardless of income.

Who is eligible?

To qualify for the SEAI windows and doors grant, your property and planned works must meet a number of requirements:

Property Requirements

• The home must be built and occupied before 2011
• The property must be owned and used as your primary residence (owner-occupied)
• The home's building fabric must already meet, or will meet after the works, a minimum energy performance standard — specifically a Heat Loss Indicator (HLI) of 2.3 W/m²K or lower
• Homes with a BER rating of B2 or better are very likely to qualify automatically
• The grant is not available to new builds or homes constructed after 2011

Technical Requirements for the Work

• All new windows and doors must achieve a U-value of 1.4 W/m²K or lower
• Triple glazing must be fitted on north-facing windows; minimum double glazing is required for all other windows
• An up-to-date BER certificate is required to verify your home’s HLI rating before the grant is paid
• All works must be completed together — you cannot claim the grant in stages
• You must use an SEAI-registered contractor

Insulation Requirement

The key condition is that your home must meet the required fabric standard. In practice, this means most homes will need attic insulation as a minimum, and many will also need wall insulation. If your BER Advisory Report shows your roof and walls are rated as 'Good', or if your existing HLI is already below 2.3, you may already qualify without additional works.

A BER assessor can advise you by reviewing your existing BER certificate or by carrying out a new assessment. Checking this in advance is strongly recommended to avoid the risk of your home not meeting the required standard after windows and doors are installed. You can find a list of BER Assessors here.

How to Apply

There are two routes to apply for the grant:

Option 1: Through an SEAI-Registered One Stop Shop (Recommended)

The easiest and most common route is to use an SEAI-registered One Stop Shop provider. They manage the entire process on your behalf, including checking your home's eligibility, organising BER assessments and handling the grant application paperwork. This is especially useful if your home also needs insulation upgrades to meet the qualifying standard.

Option 2: Self-Managed Application

You can also apply and manage the process yourself directly through the SEAI online portal, which opened on March 3^rd 2026. If you choose this route, you will need to:

• Confirm your home meets the required energy efficiency standard (HLI ≤ 2.3)
• Obtain quotes from and engage an SEAI-registered contractor
• Have a BER assessment carried out before and after the works
• Submit your application through the SEAI portal at seai.ie
• Ensure all works are fully completed before claiming payment

Key Points to Remember

• Works ordered from January 27^th 2026 are eligible, even if the portal only opened on March 3^rd 2026
• You can apply for windows only, doors only, or both combined
• You may only apply once — the grant cannot be backdated or claimed in stages
• The grant covers a contribution toward costs, not the full amount
• A second wall insulation grant is also now available from March 2026 for those who previously received one

Additional Supports & Related Grants

The windows and doors grant sits alongside a broader package of enhanced home energy grants for 2026:

• Attic insulation: up to €2,000 (increased from €1,500)
• Cavity wall insulation: up to €1,800 (increased from €1,700)
• Heat pump system: up to €12,500 (including a new €4,000 renewable heating bonus)
• Solar PV (electricity): separate grants also available

Homeowners on qualifying welfare payments may be eligible for fully funded upgrades under the Better Energy Warmer Homes Scheme. Those aged 65 and over may also qualify for the Housing Aid for Older People Scheme, which can provide up to €10,700 for essential repairs and replacements including windows and doors.

First-time buyers of existing (second-hand) homes can also now access a specific grant for attic insulation as part of their retrofit journey.

Financing your upgrade

While the SEAI grant covers a meaningful portion of upgrade costs, most homeowners will still need to fund the remainder. A quantity surveyor estimate suggests new windows and doors in a four-bedroom semi-detached home might cost approximately €18,000 in total, meaning the €4,600 grant would reduce this significantly.

Green loans are available from several banks and credit unions to help cover the balance, including PTSB, AIB, Bank of Ireland, Avant Money (in partnership with An Post Money) and a number of credit unions affiliated with the Irish League of Credit Unions. Rates start from as low as 2.99%.

Next Steps

If you are considering applying for the windows and doors grant, here is how to get started:

• Check your BER certificate on the SEAI National BER Register at seai.ie to see if your HLI is already below 2.3
• If unsure, arrange a BER assessment with a registered assessor before proceeding
• Get quotes from SEAI-registered contractors — works ordered from 27 January 2026 are eligible
• Decide whether to go through a One Stop Shop or manage the application yourself
• Apply through the SEAI portal at seai.ie

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