Who exactly qualifies for a free SEAI retrofit? 

The Government has set itself a target of retrofitting 500,000 homes to a BER standard of B2 by 2030, in a bid to cut carbon emissions and improve the quality of the nation’s housing stock. 

In order to meet those targets, the Department of Climate, Energy and Environment has set up the Warmer Homes Scheme, which funds retrofits for homeowners on certain social welfare allowances. 

On The Claire Byrne Show, National Retrofit Director Dr Ciaran Byrne described the SEAI scheme as “fully funded” but there are a number of conditions the applicant must meet to qualify. 

“So, broadly speaking, you must own your own home; it must be built and occupied prior to 2006,” he explained. 

“You must be on one of six different social welfare allowances and the most common of which is the Fuel Allowance.”

Loft insulation. Picture by: Alamy.com.

If you are not in receipt of the Fuel Allowance, you also qualify if you have been on Job Seekers Allowance for over six months and have a child under the age of seven.

Those who receive the Working Family Payment, the One Parent Family Payment, Domiciliary Care Allowance, Carers Allowance and certain people on the Disability Allowance  can also apply. 

Once approved for the scheme, Dr Byrne said the SEAI will arrange for a “very technical and detailed survey” to be carried out on the property. 

“The way it broadly works out is if you qualify, we will go and do a pre-BER assessment of your home,” he said. 

“On foot of that, then we will go and survey your home to understand where it is and what needs to be done. 

“From the survey, we'll recommend a suite of measures and then we'll allocate those out to a contractor. 

“We do cavity attic insulation, wall insulation, where required we change heating systems and windows. 

“Not all houses get all everything; it's not a kind of a menu based scheme. 

“It's what is required for that particular house on the basis of the survey.” 

Main image: Loft insulation. Picture by: Alamy.com.