Solar and battery grant for welfare recipients
Up to €8,400 for solar panels and €600 for a battery of 5kWh or more, so up to €9,000 in total. The solar part is €3,350 for each kWp up to 2kWp, then €850 for each extra kWp up to 4kWp: €6,700 for 2kWp, €7,550 for 3kWp and €8,400 for 4kWp.
Last checked October 2026 · Updated 13 October 2026
What it is
Grants for solar panels (up to 4kWp) and a battery (5kWh) for homeowners who get certain social welfare payments: Fuel Allowance (as part of the National Fuel Scheme), Working Family Payment, One-Parent Family Payment, Domiciliary Care Allowance, Carer's Allowance if you live with the person you care for. Jobseeker's Allowance or Disability Allowance also count if you have been getting it for over six months and have a child under seven. Available since 6 October 2026. The grant is up to €9,000 in total: up to €8,400 for the solar panels plus €600 for the battery. SEAI lists these higher rates on its solar PV grant page, which says the home needs an MPRN and must have been built and occupied before 2025.
Who can get it
- You own the home and get Fuel Allowance (as part of the National Fuel Scheme), Working Family Payment, One-Parent Family Payment or Domiciliary Care Allowance
- Or you get Carer's Allowance and live with the person you care for
- Or you have been getting Jobseeker's Allowance or Disability Allowance for over six months and have a child under seven
- SEAI's solar PV grant page, which lists these rates, also says the home needs an MPRN, must have been built and occupied before 2025 and must not have had solar PV funding before at this MPRN
- The welfare page itself does not repeat the home rules. The solar PV grant page that lists these higher rates gives the general rules: an MPRN, built and occupied before 2025 and no solar PV funding before at this MPRN. If you already had the standard solar grant, check with SEAI before you apply.
- You do not have to get a battery. Without one, the solar grant is capped at €8,400. A battery of 5kWh or more adds a flat €600.
- SEAI says this route has no waiting times and immediate approval. You choose your own SEAI registered contractor or One Stop Shop, though SEAI's solar page says a One Stop Shop can only be used for solar if you are getting several upgrades at once.
- SEAI's solar PV grant page says every applicant needs a grant offer before works start and has 8 months from approval to finish. A post-works BER is needed before the grant is paid.
- The same payments also bring higher SEAI grants for attic insulation (up to €2,500) and cavity wall insulation (up to €2,300).
- The other route is the free Warmer Homes Scheme. The Government announced that solar panels and a battery would be offered as standard under it from 6 October 2026, subject to final implementation arrangements, but SEAI's Warmer Homes page and scheme guidelines do not list them yet. SEAI manages it and an SEAI survey decides the works. It is for homes built and occupied before 2006. SEAI says some homes may not be suitable. SEAI's Warmer Homes page says you can currently expect a contractor to contact you about 15 months after you apply.
- A separate pilot covers homes with a long-term tenant getting a Rental Accommodation Scheme payment through one of the four Dublin councils. These homes may qualify for up to €9,000. Talk to the council first, because you need its letter confirming the RAS payment and that the property qualifies.
- SEAI's pages, checked on 13 October 2026, do not say how you show which payment you get when you apply. Ask SEAI on 01 808 2100.
Where to start
Check that your payment is on the list. Get quotes from SEAI registered solar PV companies, then apply online through SEAI and wait for your grant offer before any work starts. If you would rather SEAI managed the whole job at no cost, look at the Warmer Homes Scheme instead, where SEAI's Warmer Homes page says you can currently expect a contractor to contact you about 15 months after you apply.
Go to the official page →Checked against the official source on 12 October 2026. Last updated on 13 October 2026. Always confirm the details on the official page before applying.
Questions people ask
Which welfare payments qualify for the €9,000 solar and battery grant?
Fuel Allowance as part of the National Fuel Scheme, Working Family Payment, One-Parent Family Payment, Domiciliary Care Allowance, Carer's Allowance if you live with the person you care for. Jobseeker's Allowance or Disability Allowance also count if you have had it for over six months and have a child under seven.
How much do I get?
For solar panels, €3,350 for each kWp up to 2kWp, then €850 for each extra kWp up to 4kWp. That is €6,700 for 2kWp, €7,550 for 3kWp and €8,400 for 4kWp. A battery of 5kWh or more adds a flat €600, so the most you can get is €9,000.
Do I have to get a battery?
No. Without a battery the solar grant is capped at €8,400. Adding a battery of 5kWh or more brings the total up to €9,000.
Is this the same as the free Warmer Homes Scheme?
No. With this grant you choose your own SEAI registered contractor and SEAI says there are no waiting times. Warmer Homes is fully funded and managed by SEAI, which decides the works. It is for homes built and occupied before 2006. SEAI's Warmer Homes page says you can currently expect a contractor to contact you about 15 months after you apply. The Government announced solar panels and a battery as standard under Warmer Homes from 6 October 2026, subject to final implementation arrangements, but SEAI's Warmer Homes page and scheme guidelines do not list them yet.
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