Low Income Housing Programme

Around 60,000 Irish households are estimated to live in persistent fuel poverty and a further 160,000 or so experience intermittent fuel poverty.  Fuel poverty has been defined as the inability to heat ones home to an adequate (i.e. safe and comfortable) level owing to low household income and poor, energy inefficient housing and also the need to spend greater than 10% of household income on fuel to achieve an acceptable level of comfort and amenity.

Fuel poverty has a major impact on the lives of the people affected – in terms of financial issues, comfort, health and the quality of the home. In general, low income householders are unable to afford the capital investment measures that would improve the energy quality of their homes.  Income supports and fuel allowances do not address this structural deficiency in this part of the housing stock. Fuel poverty is a phenomenon experienced in private and social housing alike, both urban and rural. As energy prices continue to increase, the numbers of households experiencing fuel poverty could well increase. In 2003 SEAI carried out A Review of Fuel Poverty and Low Income Housing. This report gives an overview of the current situation in Ireland.  

SAEI’s Low Income Housing Programme was set up to help establish and implement a national plan of action to systematically address the problem of fuel poverty . SEAI has published a Low Income Housing programme strategy which outlines the context, objectives and work programme for the period 2002 – 2006.

Effectiveness of Domestic Energy- Efficiency Programmes

This study was initiated by the Combat Poverty Agency in collaboration with the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland. The scope of the study was to examine the impact of installing a range of energy efficiency measures on the thermal comfort and health status of households. Please click here to download the published reports from the study in PDF format.

Warmer Homes Scheme

Core delivery is through the Warmer Homes Scheme. This scheme aims to improve the energy efficiency and comfort conditions of homes occupied by low-income households , and to establish the systems and growing the capacity in Ireland to install such measures.  This approach is founded on a social employment delivery model. This model engages regional community based organisations to acquire and apply the skills to carry out the work – which includes attic insulation, draught proofing, lagging jackets, energy efficient lighting, cavity wall insulation and energy advice. For more detail read the Warmer Homes Leaflet. Eligible homes are identified locally via networks drawn from the statutory and voluntary sector.  The focus is on privately owned and rented homes, which are more diverse and difficult to access than local authority homes, and the latter are catered for elsewhere.

Who is involved in the Scheme?

To view all the groups and the areas covered with contact details please download the Warmer Homes Scheme Table from the related documents box on this page.

The benefits of the programme will be seen in improved levels of comfort, economy and health in low-income households serviced under the scheme, and in the consolidation of national framework for addressing fuel poverty by structural energy efficiency actions.

If you would like to discuss any elements of this programme please call 1800 250 204 or emailwarmerhomes@seai.ie.