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SBCI

Home Energy Upgrade Loan Scheme

Low-cost finance for eligible applicants to fund retrofitting of their properties for energy efficiency and decarbonisation purposes.

The Home Energy Upgrade Loan Scheme aims to make residential energy upgrades more accessible and affordable for eligible homeowners.

The scheme supports energy efficiency and renewable energy upgrades where those works are also being grant-aided by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI).

The scheme is established and offered by the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland (SBCI) and benefits from a guarantee that has been provided by the European Investment Fund (EIF) and European Investment Bank (EIB) and supported by the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC).

Home Energy Upgrade Loan Scheme

Loan Purpose

Loans to eligible applicants must be used for the purposes of upgrading the energy efficiency and decarbonisation of a qualifying residential property.

Heat Pump
Loan features

Loan Features

  • Unsecured loans from a minimum of €5,000 to a maximum of €75,000 per property - maximum aggregate loan of €225,000 per applicant if borrowing for more than one property (maximum three properties).
  • Terms from a minimum of one year to a maximum of 10 years.
  • Loans will be available up to 31 December 2026 or prior to that date in certain circumstances.

The Customer Journey (from A to Z)

Customer Journey Steps 1 to 5

How to Apply for a Loan

Step 1

Applicants must first engage with one of the following service providers to carry out an energy assessment of their residential property.

If the energy efficiency performance of the property is expected to improve by minimum of 20% through the upgrade, when compared to its existing Building Energy Rating (BER), the applicant can apply for funding under the scheme. In addition, the proposed approved upgrade works costs, net of the SEAI grant amount, must be at least 75% of the financing provided under the loan.

Please note – Applicants must utilise one of the above-mentioned service providers (SEAI Registered One Stop Shop, Energy Partner, or Community Project Co-Ordinator) to carry out the energy efficiency upgrade works.

In addition, applicants must undertake the upgrade under one of the following SEAI grant programmes:

  • National Home Energy Upgrade Scheme
  • Better Energy Homes Scheme
  • Community Energy Grant Scheme

Step 2

Applicants must then provide evidence of the result of the energy assessment (Home Energy Summary Report) conducted by one of the above-mentioned service providers (SEAI Registered One Stop Shop, Energy Partner, or Community Project Co-Ordinator) to a participating finance provider to begin their credit application process.

Please note – It is only at this stage that a decision will be made by the participating finance provider on credit approval. Approval of finance is subject to each of the participating finance providers’ credit criteria, policies and procedures.

An up-to-date list of the finance providers participating in the scheme is available on the website.

Who Can Apply

A person that meets the eligibility criteria for the scheme.

Such a person must:

  • be a natural person (meaning an individual, not a company) acting for his/her own benefit and not on behalf of someone else
  • be resident in Ireland
  • not be tax resident in a non-compliant jurisdiction
  • be availing of a grant under a SEAI schemes for the purpose of funding (in part) the energy efficiency investment under the scheme
  • confirm ownership of an eligible property (see Eligible Property Criteria section below) by providing a self-declaration and the Meter Point Reference Number (MPRN) for the property
Applicants

Additional selected eligibility criteria (including criteria in relation to the loan and the property/properties in respect of which the energy efficiency upgrade is being sought) are set out in the Terms & Conditions section.

The legal documents issued by the scheme finance providers will contain the full terms and conditions (including the full list of eligibility criteria) applicable to the scheme.

Who Cannot Apply

A person that does not meet the eligibility criteria for the scheme. Additional selected eligibility criteria (including criteria in relation to the loan and the property/properties in respect of which the energy efficiency upgrade is being sought) are set out in the Terms & Conditions section.

Applying for a Loan

Where to Apply

Once applicants have received the result of the energy assessment conducted by one of the above-mentioned service providers (SEAI Registered One Stop Shop, Energy Partner, or Community Project Co-Ordinator) confirming that the energy efficiency performance of the property being upgraded is expected to improve by a minimum of 20%, they can submit their credit application, together with the Home Energy Summary Report, to participating finance provider(s) to begin their loan application process.

The Home Energy Upgrade Loan Scheme is available through

Additional finance providers will be announced shortly, please continue to check the SBCI website for further information.


Interest Rates

Loan interest rates vary between participating finance providers but are reduced from standard rates.

Eligibility Criteria

Selected eligibility criteria in relation to borrowers, loans being sought under the scheme and the property/properties in respect of which the energy efficiency upgrade is sought are set out in the Terms & Conditions section.

The legal documents issued by the scheme finance providers will contain the full terms and conditions (including eligibility criteria) applicable to the scheme.

Data Protection Notice

Please read the SBCI Data Protection Statement.

State Aid

The scheme will operate under the De Minimis Regulation.

State aid will apply on loans granted to any homeowner in which the underlying property (i) is currently being used; (ii) has been used in the previous 12 months; or (iii) will be used in the next 12 months for any rental or similar arrangement.

If the property/properties have been used for the above purposes, then there is “economic activity”, and State aid will arise on the grant of the loan(s) in respect of that property/properties.

Loans to other homeowners will not generate any State aid.

For a more extensive description of the State aid measures applicable to the scheme, please refer to the relevant Regulation.

Please note – The description of the scheme on this webpage has been prepared for the purposes of providing information of a general nature to potential applicants and others interested in the Scheme. The legal documents issued by the scheme finance providers will contain the full terms and conditions applicable to the scheme.

Please note – Finance is supported by the Home Energy Upgrade Loan Scheme, which benefits from a guarantee from the European Union.

Terms & Conditions

Selected Borrower Eligibility Criteria

  • The applicant must be a natural person (meaning an individual, not a company) acting for his/her own benefit and not on behalf of someone else
  • The applicant must not be a sanctioned person or in breach of certain restrictive measures
  • The applicant must not be engaged in certain illegal activities or illegal economic activities
  • The applicant must be resident in Ireland
  • The applicant must not be tax resident in a non-compliant jurisdiction
  • The applicant must not, to the best of his/her knowledge, be in an exclusion situation (including but not limited to being bankrupt, subject to insolvency proceedings, subject of a final judgment for fraud, corruption, participation in a criminal organisation, money laundering or terrorist financing, terrorist offences or human trafficking)
  • The applicant must be able to provide certain confirmations in the scheme documentation, including that he/she will undertake the energy efficiency investment under the scheme on up to a maximum of three properties owned by him/her
  • The applicant must be availing of a grant under a SEAI schemes for the purpose of funding (in part) the energy efficiency investment under the scheme
  • The applicant must confirm ownership of an eligible property (see Eligible Property Criteria section below) by providing a self-declaration and the Meter Point Reference Number (MPRN) for the property

Selected Loan Criteria

  • The loan must be new
  • The loan must be entered into by a finance provider during the relevant period of the scheme
  • The loan must be in the form of a term loan
  • The loan must have a fixed repayment schedule providing for equal monthly instalments or equal monthly principal payments and must not include a period during which the principal is not payable
  • The loan must be denominated in euro (EUR)
  • The loan agreement must be valid, binding and enforceable under applicable law
  • For loans issued with the specific purpose of financing the construction of new buildings and major rehabilitation of existing buildings, any such construction must comply with national energy standards (and certain additional requirements apply if loans are granted/issued with specific purpose of financing the heating and/or cooling of buildings)
  • Loans with a “bullet repayment profile” (entire amount to be repaid at maturity) or “balloon” repayment profile (30% or more to be repaid at maturity) are not eligible under the scheme
  • The proceeds of a loan must be applied towards the financing of eligible investment costs of an energy efficiency investment in accordance with the terms and conditions of a SEAI Scheme, and the energy efficiency investment must be carried out by a SEAI Project Intermediary
  • The financing made available under the loan must not be used for refinancing of existing term loan debt, residential property renovation that has previously received other SEAI-funded grants for the same energy efficiency investment, and/or installation of any form of fossil fuel burners
  • The minimum improvement in the energy performance of the property must be at least 20% when compared to the energy performance of the property before the energy efficiency investment commences
  • The associated costs (if any) must make up a maximum of 30% of the eligible investment costs
  • The loan must finance an energy efficiency investment carried out in compliance with minimum requirements with respect of environmental legislation and information access
  • The proposed approved upgrade works costs, net of the proposed SEAI grant amount, must be at least 75% of the financing provided under the loan
  • The actual upgrade works costs incurred under the loan, net of the actual SEAI grant amount, must be at least 70% of the financing provided under the loan

Selected Eligible Property Criteria

  • The property must be a residential property in the Republic of Ireland
  • The property must not have been used in part for commercial purposes and in part for residential purposes at any time in previous 12 months, and the borrower must undertake not to use the property for such purposes for at least 12 months after they obtain finance
  • The property must not have been subject to one or more short-term letting at any time in previous 12 months, and the borrower must undertake not to use the property for such purposes for at least 12 months after they obtain finance
  • The property must not have been used as a holiday home at any time in previous 12 months, and the borrower must undertake not to use the property for such purposes for at least 12 months after they obtain finance

The legal documents issued by the scheme finance providers will contain the full terms and conditions (including the full list of eligibility criteria) applicable to the scheme.

The description of the scheme on this webpage has been prepared for the purposes of providing information of a general nature to potential applicants and others interested in the Scheme. The legal documents issued by the scheme finance providers will contain the full terms and conditions applicable to the scheme.



Loans are available for applicants who meet the Eligibility Criteria for the scheme and are investing in energy efficiency and renewable energy upgrades where those works are also being grant-aided by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI).

Loans must be used for the purposes of upgrading the energy efficiency and decarbonisation of qualifying residential properties.

There is a two-step process to apply for a loan under the scheme:

STEP 1 - Applicants must first engage with one of the following service providers to carry out an energy assessment of their residential property:

  1. SEAI Registered One Stop Shop;
  2. Energy Partner; or
  3. Community Project Co-Ordinator.

If the energy performance of the property is expected to improve by a minimum of 20% through the upgrade, compared to its existing Building Energy Rating (BER), the applicant can apply for funding under the scheme. In addition, the proposed approved upgrade works costs, net of the SEAI grant amount, must be at least 75% of the financing provided under the loan.

Please note that applicants must utilise one of the above-mentioned service providers (SEAI Registered One Stop Shop, Energy Partner, or Community Project Co-Ordinator) to carry out the energy efficiency upgrade works.

STEP 2 - Applicants must then provide evidence of the result of the energy assessment (Home Energy Summary Report) conducted by one of the above-mentioned service providers (SEAI Registered One Stop Shop, Energy Partner, or Community Project Co-Ordinator) to a participating finance provider to begin their credit application process.

Please note that it is only at this stage that a decision will be made by the participating finance provider on credit approval. Approval of finance is subject to each of the participating finance providers’ credit criteria, policies and procedures.

An up-to-date list of the finance providers participating in the scheme is available on the website.

Loans range from a minimum of €5,000 up to a maximum of €75,000 per property. If an applicant is looking to borrow for more than one property (max 3 properties), the maximum aggregate amount is set at €225,000 per borrower.

Loan terms range from a minimum of one year up to a maximum of 10 years.

Loan interest rates will vary between participating finance providers but are reduced from standard rates.

No. Under the scheme, all loans are unsecured. This means that no security or personal guarantee is required.

Yes. You can get more than one loan, provided that the total of those loans does not exceed the maximum loan amount available to you under the scheme (maximum aggregate loan of €225,000 per borrower).

No. All properties upgraded must be located in the Republic of Ireland.

Loans will be available up to 31 December 2026, or prior to that in certain circumstances.

Approval depends on if the finance provider has all the information needed to process an application. Applicants must provide evidence of the result of the energy assessment (Home Energy Summary Report) conducted by one of the above-mentioned service providers (SEAI Registered One Stop Shop, Energy Partner, or Community Project Co-Ordinator) to a participating finance provider to begin their credit application process.

The purpose of the loans is to help fund the cost of energy efficiency and renewable energy upgrades where those works are also being grant-aided by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI).

Yes, there is a cost associated with having an energy assessment of your property. The cost may vary depending on the energy assessor and the size of your home.

Please note that the cost still applies whether the loan is approved or declined.

The Home Energy Summary Report is not a guarantee of credit approval and does not oblige the participating finance provider to provide finance. Approval of loans under the Home Energy Upgrade Loan Scheme is subject to the finance providers’ own credit criteria, policies and procedures.

To apply for the Home Energy Upgrade Loan Scheme, the homeowner must provide a copy of the Home Energy Summary Report to the participating finance provider.

The Home Energy Summary Report is a one-page document provided to the homeowner by a SEAI-registered One Stop Shop, Energy Partner, or Community Project Coordinator following an assessment of the property.

This document includes information on the property, such as the Meter Point Reference Number (MPRN), and the proposed upgrade, such as the proposed uplift in energy performance and the total proposed costs of the project.

To get a copy of the Home Energy Summary Report, you must contact a SEAI-registered One Stop Shop, Energy Partner, or Community Project Coordinator and schedule an assessment of your residential property.

Loans to support the installation of solar PV panels only are not eligible under the Scheme. However, solar PV panels are eligible for funding and can be installed as part of a deeper retrofit (alongside other upgrade works) under the National Home Energy Upgrade Scheme (One Stop Shop Service) or Community Energy Grant Scheme.

Other eligible measures to be financed by the Home Energy Upgrade Loan Scheme loans include the fabric upgrade of buildings (e.g., insulation) and renewable energy solutions (e.g., heat pumps).

Where a homeowner is using the loan to pay for works under the SEAI’s Better Energy Homes Scheme for Individual Energy Upgrade Grants, up to 25% of the amount borrowed can be used for other non-eligible home upgrades, which may include solar PV panels.