Home Energy Upgrade Loan Scheme - sample cases
Three great examples of how the Home Energy Upgrade Loan Scheme might work for you. We provide the figures for various loan amounts and works carried out.
A detached home avails of the low cost loan
Mary's story
Mary lives alone in a detached home in County Longford. Her home has never had a BER assessment, but it’s difficult to keep warm in winter and expensive to heat so it's probably a very low BER. She must carefully manage her budget during colder months to cover heating costs. She doesn’t qualify for SEAI's fully funded energy upgrade scheme and she is reluctant to dip into her savings. But with retirement on the horizon, Mary wants to improve the comfort and energy efficiency of her home so she is warm and cosy and can look forward to lower energy bills. So she decides to contact an SEAI registered One Stop Shop and get a better understanding of the options open to her.
Home grants available
Mary finds out that certain One Stop Shops are now offering individual energy upgrades. This suits her perfectly as she has a limited budget. The One Stop Shop arranges a BER assessment and identifies a low-cost energy solution tailored to her needs. The package focuses on insulation to maximise comfort and reduce energy bills at the lowest possible cost. The One Stop Shop manages the entire process and deducts the SEAI grant upfront, so Mary only needs to finance the net cost.
Cost table
| Measure | Cost* | SEAI grant | Mary pays |
| Pre-works BER Certificate | €280 | - | €280 |
| Attic Insulation | €2,500 | €1,500 | €1,000 |
| Internal Wall Insulation | €9,000 | €4,500 | €4,500 |
| Post-works BER Certificate | €280 | €50 | €230 |
| Total | €12,060 | €6,050 | €6,010 |
*Costs reflect median prices for semi-detached homes upgraded through the SEAI Better Energy Homes Scheme (Jan–Jun 2025).
Financing choice
Mary has finished paying off her mortgage and is reluctant to take on long-term debt. The Home Energy Upgrade Loan Scheme offers a short-term, unsecured loan with low interest rates, making it a suitable option for her financial preferences. And this scheme is available to homeowners who use a registered One Shop Shop. She selects a lender from the list that she has an existing relationship and proceeds with the securing a loan to cover the €6,010 net cost.
Loan table
| Term | Loan Amount | Annual Percentage Rate (APR)% | Monthly repayments | Total Cost of Credit |
| 5 years | €6,010 | 3%* | €107.88. | 542.80 |
* APR based on lowest interest rate using CCPC loan comparison tool 01/09/2025. https://www.ccpc.ie/consumers/money-tools/loan-comparison/. Cheapest non HEULS green loan 6.4%, repayments €116,80 p.m. & cost of credit €998.29.
Result
Mary completes a low-cost energy upgrade with no upfront payment, using SEAI grants and the government-backed Home Energy Upgrade Loan Scheme. With support from a One Stop Shop and a trusted lender, she improves the warmth and efficiency of her home—reducing energy bills and future-proofing her home.
Heat pump installation financed by the low cost loan
The O'Shea Family's heating upgrade
The O’Shea family live in a semi-detached home in Limerick, built in 2007. Their home is relatively well insulated, but they still rely on an oil boiler for heating. The boiler is coming to the end of its life, frequently breaks down, and is no longer efficient. With rising fuel costs and a desire to reduce their carbon footprint, the O'Shea family decide to switch to a heat pump for a cleaner, more reliable heating system.
Heat pump grant with a One Stop Shop
The O’Shea's select an SEAI-registered One Stop Shop to manage the project. The One Stop Shop first assesses their home and confirms it is heat pump-ready. They manage the process from start to finish including applying for the grant and finding a suitable heat pump installer. They deduct the SEAI grant upfront, meaning the family only needs to finance the net cost. There is minimal disruption during the upgrade and the family can stay in the home during the installation.
Cost table
| Measure | Cost* | SEAI grant | O'Shea's pay |
| Heat Pump | €16,833 | €6,500 | €10,333 |
| BER Certificate | €276 | €50 | €226 |
| Total | €17,109 | €6,550 | €10,559 |
*Costs reflect median prices for semi-detached homes upgraded through the SEAI Better Energy Homes Scheme (Jan–Jun 2025).
Financing
To cover the €10,559 net cost, the O’Sheas avail of the Home Energy Upgrade Loan Scheme. They choose a 7-year unsecured loan with monthly repayments. They select a lender from the list that they already bank with. The Home Energy Upgrade Loan Scheme allows them to spread the upfront cost of the investment over time with manageable monthly repayments. As the heat pump replaces an aging, inefficient boiler, the upgrade provides a cleaner and more sustainable heating solution—though electricity costs may still vary over time.
Loan table
| Term | Loan Amount | Annual Percentage Rate (APR)% | Monthly repayments | Total cost of credit |
| 7 Years | €10,559 | 3%* | €139.33 | €1,144.44 |
* APR based on lowest interest rate using CCPC loan comparison tool 01/09/2025. https://www.ccpc.ie/consumers/money-tools/loan-comparison/
Benefits of the Upgrade
- Old boiler replaced with an efficient heat pump
- Reduced reliance on oil and associated maintenance issues
- BER rating improves
- Carbon emissions significantly reduced
- No upfront payment required
- Upfront cost spread over time
Results
The O’Shea's switch to a heat pump with support from SEAI grants and a government-backed loan. The upgrade replaces an unreliable boiler with a cleaner heating system, improves energy efficiency, and helps them move towards a fossil fuel-free home—all with minimal disruption and manageable monthly repayments.
Full home energy upgrade possible with a low cost loan
Sinéad and Tom's renovation story
Sinéad and Tom have recently purchased a semi-detached home in County Offaly that needs modernisation. They want to improve its energy performance and carry out some renovation works. They approach a One Stop Shop that provides energy upgrades and additional building works. The One Stop Shop carries out a Home Energy Assessment and helps them to choose a home energy upgrade package that suits their needs. They also provide a quotation for additional renovation works needed in the home. The One Stop Shop manages the entire process from start to finish including SEAI grant applications, contractors and low cost finance options.
The One Stop Shop deducts the grant from the cost of works upfront, making it more affordable for Sinéad and Tom. The works are carried out with minimal disruption allowing Sinead and Tom to remain in the house.
Cost table
| Full Energy Upgrade Cost* | €59,085 | Includes insulation, heat pump and solar panels, bringing their home to a minimum BER B2 |
| SEAI Grant | €21,700 | Deducted upfront by Project Coordinator |
| Net Energy Upgrade Cost | €37,385 | Energy upgrade cost financed through the Home Energy Upgrade Loan Scheme |
| Additional Renovation Works | €8,000 | Not covered by SEAI grant |
| Total Project Cost less SEAI grant | €45,385 | This includes all the energy upgrades and building extension works minus the SEAI grants |
| Personal Savings Contribution | €3,000 | |
| Loan Amount required | €42,385 |
Financing
As recent first-time buyers, Sinéad and Tom can’t increase their mortgage because they’ve already borrowed the maximum allowed under their loan-to-value limit. They choose the Home Energy Upgrade Loan Scheme to cover the €37,385 cost of their energy upgrade after the SEAI grant is deducted. The Home Energy Upgrade Loan Scheme allows them to use up to 25% of the loan for non-energy-related improvements. They have €3,000 of their own savings and they borrow an extra €5,000 to help pay for these renovations, bringing their total loan amount to €42,385. They apply for a 10-year unsecured loan with monthly repayments.
Loan table
| Term | Loan Amount | Annual Percentage Rate (APR)% | Monthly Repayments | Total Cost of Credit |
| 10 Years | €42,385 | 3%* | €408.48 | €6,632.75 |
Benefits of the upgrade
- Delivered as part of a coordinated community retrofit
- No need to apply for a mortgage top-up
- Upfront cost spread over time
- Flexibility to include non-energy renovation works under the Home Energy Upgrade Loan Scheme
- All SEAI grant paperwork and quality standards managed by the Project Coordinator
Results
Sinéad and Tom carry out a complete energy upgrade and renovate their new home at the same time. With support from SEAI grants and a government-backed loan, they improve the energy performance of their home and make it more comfortable - all with manageable monthly repayments and no need to alter their mortgage.