Older people · 19 September 2026
County council grants for pensioners: the three home grants every council pays
Quick answer
Every county council pays the same three home grants to older people: Housing Aid for Older People for essential repairs (up to €10,700, aged 66 or over), the Mobility Aids Grant for basic works like grab rails or a stairlift (up to €8,000) and the Housing Adaptation Grant for bigger adaptations (up to €40,000). All are means tested, but Fuel Allowance, the Household Benefits Package and the Living Alone Allowance are not counted as income. One council form covers all three.
The three grants at a glance
| Grant | What it pays for | Maximum | Household income limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Housing Aid for Older People | Essential repairs: roof, wiring, windows and doors, heating | €10,700 | Up to €75,000, sliding scale |
| Mobility Aids Grant | Grab rails, an accessible shower, ramps, a stairlift, a fixed track hoist | €8,000 | Under €37,500 |
| Housing Adaptation Grant | Bigger adaptations: an extension or downstairs bedroom, an accessible bathroom, a stairlift or through-floor lift | €40,000 | Up to €75,000, sliding scale |
The rules are national, set by the Housing (Adaptation Grants for Older People and Disabled People) Regulations 2024, and the grants are managed by your local authority. So a pensioner in Meath, Clare or Kildare applies under exactly the same rules as one in Cork.
Housing Aid for Older People: repairs up to €10,700
This is the grant most people mean when they ask about council grants for pensioners. It is for essential repairs so an older person can keep living at home: repairing or replacing the roof, upgrading the wiring, repairing or replacing windows and doors, and repairing or replacing central heating. The council can also approve other repairs it thinks are necessary.
- Age: 66 or over. The council may use it for people under 66 in cases of hardship.
- Home: you own it, or have a right to live in it.
- VAT: this grant can go towards the total cost including VAT.
- Heating: since 1 January 2025 it cannot pay for a new oil or gas boiler. It can still repair an existing boiler, replace radiators, tanks or pipework, or pay for electric or biomass heating where suitable.
| Gross household income | Share of cost paid | Maximum grant |
|---|---|---|
| Up to €37,500 | 100% | €10,700 |
| €37,501 to €43,750 | 85% | €9,095 |
| €43,751 to €50,000 | 75% | €8,025 |
| €50,001 to €62,500 | 50% | €5,350 |
| €62,501 to €75,000 | 30% | €3,210 |
| Over €75,000 | No grant | n/a |
What to send with it depends on the job. For the roof, a letter from your insurer saying the policy will not cover it. For wiring, a report from an electrician registered with Safe Electric. For heating, a report from a heating contractor on the existing system. No medical documents are needed, unless the application is urgent because of a medical condition, in which case your doctor completes the Doctor’s Certificate section.
What counts as income, and what does not
The council looks at gross household income for the previous tax year. For all three grants, these are left out of the sum:
- Fuel Allowance, the Household Benefits Package and the Living Alone Allowance
- Child Benefit, the Working Family Payment, Domiciliary Care Allowance, the Carer’s Support Grant and Foster Care Allowance
- Carer’s Allowance and Carer’s Benefit (for the two adaptation grants, only where the carer’s payment is for the person who needs the grant)
- €6,250 if a relative cares for the person full time
- Up to €6,250 for mortgage or rent on the home
- Up to €12,500 towards residential care fees for a spouse or co-owner, or towards homecare fees
When the problem is getting around the house
Repairs are one thing. Stairs, a bath you can no longer step into, or a step at the front door are covered by the other two grants. The Mobility Aids Grant for rails, showers and stairlifts is the quicker one, for household incomes under €37,500. For bigger work, or incomes up to €75,000, how the €40,000 adaptation grant is worked out.
Your own council
The rules are the same everywhere, but each council has its own housing grants section and its own queue. Pick yours for the local form and contact.
How to apply
- Get the form from gov.ie, your council’s website or the council itself. The same form covers all three grants. Fill in the sections for the grant you need.
- Add the evidence: gross household income for the previous tax year, proof the Local Property Tax is up to date, and proof your tax affairs are in order. The form has a checklist of what to include.
- The council reviews it, sends a technician to look at the work, and writes to say whether you are approved and for how much.
- Then it asks for the contractor’s details: the quote and their tax reference number, plus the bank account the grant will be paid into when the work is done.
- Do not start the work before approval. The grant will not be paid if you do.
If the application is refused, you can appeal in writing within 3 weeks. What to do if an older person’s grant is refused.
If the form is the part that stops you
Everything above is enough to apply yourself, for free. If you are sorting this out for a parent and would rather not do the paperwork alone, our kit that prepares the council form for an older parent costs €49.99, with a checklist, timeline, and chase and appeal letters. We never ask for your PPS number, income figures or documents. Questions first? Email hello@thegranthub.ie, free.
Common questions
What grants does the county council give pensioners?
Three home grants: Housing Aid for Older People for essential repairs (up to €10,700, aged 66 or over), the Mobility Aids Grant for basic works like grab rails or a stairlift (up to €8,000), and the Housing Adaptation Grant for bigger adaptations (up to €40,000). All are managed by the local authority on one form.
How much is the Housing Aid for Older People grant?
Up to €10,700. It pays 100% of the cost for household incomes up to €37,500, falling to 30% for incomes of €62,501 to €75,000. There is no grant above €75,000. It can go towards the total cost including VAT.
Does Fuel Allowance count as income for these grants?
No. Fuel Allowance, the Household Benefits Package and the Living Alone Allowance are not counted when the council works out household income.
Can the grant pay for a new oil or gas boiler?
No. Since 1 January 2025, Housing Aid for Older People cannot pay for a new fossil fuel boiler. It can still pay to repair an existing boiler, replace radiators, tanks or pipework, or install electric or biomass heating where suitable.
Do I need a medical certificate for Housing Aid for Older People?
No, it is based on the condition of the home and how urgent the repairs are. If the application is urgent because of a medical condition, your doctor completes the Doctor’s Certificate section of the form.
Sorting out a grant for a parent?
Our €49.99 grant kit prepares the council application from a short questionnaire, with a checklist, timeline and chase and appeal letters. Everything on this page stays free.
See the kit for an older parent →