What the Power Up grant paid
Power Up was a flat payment of €4,000, the same for every business that qualified. It was announced in Budget 2025 with a budget of €170 million.
The Minister described it as help with rising costs over the Christmas trading period. It went directly into the business's bank account.
By the Department's count, the scheme paid out €158 million to more than 39,000 businesses.
Is it still open?
Type a scheme name. Old schemes keep showing up in search results long after they close.
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When it opened and closed
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| 24 October 2024 | Registration opened. Councils emailed each qualifying business a link |
| 8 November 2024 | The first deadline |
| 22 November 2024 | The extended deadline, and the final one |
| 24 July to 15 August 2025 | An appeal window for businesses that had picked the wrong sector when they first registered |
The 2025 appeal window was narrow. The Department said it was not a re-opening of the scheme, and that it would not re-open for any other reason, such as a missed deadline or a new application.
Who qualified
Power Up was tied to an earlier scheme. To get it, a business had to:
- be in the retail, hospitality or beauty sector
- have received the second payment under the 2024 grant that was based on the 2023 rates bill
- still meet that scheme's conditions when it registered
There was no application form in the usual sense. The council emailed each business it had on record as qualifying, and the business registered through an online portal.
Businesses outside those three sectors got nothing from Power Up, whatever their costs. So did any business that had missed the earlier scheme.
What a business can do now
Nothing like it is open now. We found no national cash grant of this kind on the Department of Enterprise's list of supports on 3 October 2026. What is open is narrower, and you have to apply for each one.
- Your rates. Some councils take a percentage off a small ratepayer's bill, and others cut the rates of a business that opens in an empty unit. See which councils are giving money off rates this year.
- Your energy bills. SEAI pays up to 30% towards heat pumps and insulation and gives a €2,000 voucher for an energy audit. See the energy grants open to every kind of business.
- Your shop front. A number of councils pay about half the cost of painting or new signs. See the council schemes for doing up a shop front.
- VAT. Since 1 July 2026 the 9% rate applies to restaurant and catering food, hot takeaway food, hot tea and coffee, and hairdressing. It does not cover alcohol, soft drinks or bottled water.
Use the tool on this page to see which schemes are still open and which have shut.
Budget 2027 on Tuesday 6 October 2026 is the next point at which a new one-off payment for small businesses could be announced.
Common questions
Can I still apply for the Power Up grant?
No. Registration closed on 22 November 2024. The appeal window in summer 2025 was only for businesses that had picked the wrong sector when they registered for the earlier scheme, and it closed on 15 August 2025.
Will the Power Up grant come back?
Nothing has been announced on the Department of Enterprise's pages. Budget 2027 is on Tuesday 6 October 2026. Any new scheme would come with its own rules.
Why did my business not get the Power Up grant?
Two things were required. The business had to be in retail, hospitality or beauty, and it had to have received the second Increased Cost of Business payment. A business that failed either test did not qualify.
Who do I contact about a Power Up payment that never arrived?
Your council. The councils ran the scheme for the Department of Enterprise. The Department's annual report says the scheme paid out €158 million to over 39,000 businesses.
Keep reading
Where this comes from
- Department of Enterprise, Power Up grant opens for registration (24 October 2024)
- Department of Enterprise, Power Up grant registration extended to 22 November (7 November 2024)
- Department of Enterprise, ICOB and Power Up grant Reclassification Appeal Process
- Department of Enterprise, Annual Report 2024
- Revenue, second reduced rate of VAT
Checked on 3 October 2026. We are an independent guide, not a government service. Rules change, so confirm the detail on the official page before you apply.