Energy grants for Northern Ireland

Approximately £8 million is collected from around 902,680 domestic and business electricity customers in Northern Ireland through a Public Service Obligation (PSO). The money is used to provide funding for energy efficiency and renewable energy schemes. 

The Utility Regulator has responsibility for the PSO. We act as the programme administrator for NISEP on behalf of the Utility Regulator. 

Scheme managers can bid into NISEP to deliver energy efficiency schemes each year. 

Most of the funding is kept for schemes that don’t require any payment by the homeowner. This includes: 

• whole house schemes that offer funding for upgrading heating systems as well as insulation 

• individual measure schemes that fund insulation installations 

The remaining funds are allocated to domestic, commercial and renewable schemes, which are available to homeowners, private tenants and commercial properties. 

Some are fully funded by NISEP, while others may require a financial contribution by the applicant. 

There are pre-determined income criteria that decide if you need to contribute to the cost of any installation. The list of NISEP schemes outlines which scheme you’re eligible for and additional terms and conditions apply to each scheme. 

View the full list of NISEP schemes for 2026-2027. 

NISEP has an ‘innovative’ category to encourage scheme managers to include the installation of innovative and renewable technologies. 

This year, there’s a limited number of air source heat pump installations available as part of a heating upgrade. There are currently very few air source heat pumps installed in Northern Ireland. This presents a great opportunity for eligible applicants to benefit from low carbon technology. 

Alongside this scheme, there’s another limited scheme offering a small number of installations for:  

• an air source heat pump 

• solar panels  

• battery storage 

This is the first time this type of package has been made available through NISEP. This will provide eligible households an opportunity to benefit from a range of low carbon technologies as part of a single installation programme. 

Each year since 2010, NISEP has installed at least 15,000 energy efficiency measures installed, benefiting over 3,500 properties. 

Customer who received heating and insulation:

“Thanks to the installers for doing a great job. Our house is warmer, and we’re very pleased with our new heating system. The new loft insulation has made a big difference.”

Customer who received insulation:

“Very good job and already feeling the difference in heat.”

A business who received funding:

“The whole process was very straightforward from start to finish. The scheme has enabled us to make the jump to more efficient technology and allowed our business to become more sustainable.

We’re now starting to see the benefits of this technology and becoming more efficient and sustainable is now a key target for the business.”

1. Download the list of schemes for 2026/27 to see what schemes you’re eligible for. 
2. Contact the scheme manager for the relevant fund. Their contact details are provided beside the scheme criteria. 

Find out more about NISEP. 

The Housing Executive has introduced an online tool that creates a tailored action plan for your home and highlights changes that could save money. This is available to all households in Northern Ireland. 

Complete the information on the home energy saving tool to get recommendations to benefit you and the environment. 

For more information about saving energy at home, visit our dedicated Northern Ireland energy efficiency pages. 

You can also contact the Northern Ireland Energy Advice service online, or call freephone 0800 111 4455. 

The Consumer Council has also a range of energy advice for switching suppliers or changing tariffs.