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The Home Energy Upgrade Loan Scheme helps eligible homeowners access affordable energy upgrades.
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).
What is the Home Energy Upgrade Loan Scheme?
The scheme supports energy efficiency and renewable energy upgrades where works are also being grant-aided by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI). The Home Energy Upgrade Loan 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).
Low-cost loan
Unsecured reduced fixed interest rate loans from 3.75% APR.
Borrow on your terms
Loans from €5,000 - €75,000 per property and repay over terms from 1 to 10 years.
Home energy upgrades
Use at least 75% of the loan for energy efficiency purposes. Giving you a 20% improvement in your home's energy efficiency.
Home Energy Upgrade Loan Scheme
How will this benefit homeowners?
The Home Energy Upgrade Loan Scheme will make home energy upgrades (a warm, comfortable, healthy home) more accessible and affordable to homeowners.
Access to the Home Energy Upgrade Loan Scheme has been designed with homeowners in mind, with an emphasis on reducing the financial and administrative burden on homeowners accessing both loans and SEAI grants.
Homeowners applying for an SEAI Home Energy Upgrade grant through the National Home Energy Upgrade Scheme - One Stop Shop Service or Better Energy Homes grant for Individual Energy Upgrades via an Energy Partner will be provided with summary details of the planned energy upgrade works (Home Energy Summary Report), to enable the homeowner to apply for a Home Energy Upgrade Loan.
Once the loan is approved, the homeowner’s chosen One Stop Shop, Energy Partner will apply for and accept the SEAI grant for the works so that the homeowner only needs to pay the cost net of the grant.
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)
How to Apply
Choose a SEAI-Registered One Stop Shop
As a SEAI-registered One Stop Shop Churchfield will guide you through the entire process, starting with a Home Energy Assessment tailored to your needs.
Contact UsYou can also choose to connect with other SEAI-registered One Stop Shops, SEAI Registered Energy Partner, Community Project Coordinator.
Home Energy Assessment
We will carry out an assessment, provide you with a Home Energy Assessment Report and assist you to apply for your SEAI home energy upgrade grant(s).
*To apply for the Home Energy Upgrade Loan Scheme, you must be availing of an SEAI home energy upgrade grant(s)
Apply for a loan
Contact with SBCI with your Home Energy Assessment Report.
*It is not possible to submit an application without this report.
How to Apply for a Loan
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
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.
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.
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.
Loan interest rates vary between participating finance providers but are reduced from standard rates.
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.
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.
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
- 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
- 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
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).
This content was originally published by SBCI, and accessed on April 20, 2025. Churchfield Home Services shares this content for informational purposes only. All rights remain with SBCI.
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