Housing Adaptation Grant, eligibility check
Updated 21 October 2026 · Reflects revised scheme effective December 2024
Enter your household income for the last tax year, after the disregards and deductions explained below, the age of the home, and the type of work you need done. We'll show you the percentage of costs the grant will cover, the maximum grant amount you can claim, and a rough estimate of what you'd pay out of pocket.
This is not an official decision. Your local council makes the final call. But the rules are public, these numbers are what the council uses too.
Looking for repairs to an older home or a simpler mobility aid instead? Check the Housing Aid for Older People and Mobility Aids grants.
The official Housing Adaptation Grant scale
Effective December 2024. Maximum grant of €40,000 for homes built more than 12 months ago, halved to €20,000 for new builds.
| Household income, after disregards and deductions | % of approved cost covered | Max grant (older home) | Max grant (new build) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Up to €37,500 | 100% | €40,000 | €20,000 |
| €37,501 to €43,750 | 85% | €34,000 | €17,000 |
| €43,751 to €50,000 | 75% | €30,000 | €15,000 |
| €50,001 to €62,500 | 50% | €20,000 | €10,000 |
| €62,501 to €75,000 | 30% | €12,000 | €6,000 |
| Over €75,000 | Not eligible | ||
What counts as "household income"?
The gross income (before tax) for the previous tax year of the owner of the home and their spouse or partner. In a privately rented or Approved Housing Body home, it is the tenant and their spouse or partner. Nobody else’s income counts, so an adult son or daughter living in the house is not assessed. It includes:
- Wages and salary (gross, before income tax, USC, PRSI)
- State pension and private pensions
- Social welfare payments not in the list below, such as the State Pension, Disability Allowance and Jobseeker's
- Self-employment income
- Rental income, investment income
- Maintenance payments received
What doesn't count: nine payments are left out. Child Benefit, Working Family Payment, Domiciliary Care Allowance, Carer's Support Grant, Foster Care Allowance, Fuel Allowance, Carer's Benefit or Carer's Allowance, the Household Benefits Package and the Living Alone Increase. Every other payment counts.
What you can take off: €6,250 for each child under 18 living in the home, and for each young person under 23 in full-time education; €6,250 if a relative cares full time for the person the grant is for; rent or mortgage on the home, up to €6,250 a year, less any help from the State; nursing home fees the owner pays for a spouse or co-owner, up to €12,500; and home care fees, up to €12,500, or €6,250 if the relative carer deduction also applies.
Sources: S.I. No. 612 of 2024, the Housing Adaptation Grant guidelines, December 2024 and the national application form, checked 21 October 2026.
Other things that affect what you actually receive
- Quotes or standard costs. Your council may ask for one or more written quotes, or set the cost of the work from its own standard costs. The grant is based on that approved cost or the maximum, whichever is lower.
- Prior approval is essential. Works started before grant approval are not grant aided. The only exception is a genuine emergency that the council inspects before any work starts, and even then it is the council’s choice.
- OT report required for a stairlift or through-floor lift, a fixed hoist, an extension or a big change to how a room is used. If you have none, the council can arrange one after it gets your application.
- Property must be principal private residence. Holiday homes, investment properties, and short-term lets do not qualify.
- Local authority discretion. Councils can prioritise applications based on medical urgency and waiting list.
Frequently asked questions
What if my income is just over a threshold?
Thresholds are absolute, €43,751 puts you in the 75% bracket, €43,750 puts you in the 85% bracket. There's no smoothing. If you're a few hundred euro over a threshold, check you have left out the nine payments that don't count and taken off every deduction the form allows.
What does "approved cost" mean?
The council works out the "approved cost", from a reasonable quote or from its own standard costs. The grant percentage is applied to that figure, not to your highest quote or your preferred installer's price. So if the approved cost is €8,000 and you qualify for 75%, the grant is €6,000.
Can I apply if I'm renting?
Yes, but with conditions. You need the landlord's written permission, a tenancy registered with the Residential Tenancies Board, and the property must be your main residence. Approved Housing Body tenants need the AHB's written permission. Council tenants cannot get this grant: ask the council about its Disabled Person's Grant Scheme instead.
How long does it take?
The national guidelines ask councils to decide within six weeks of a complete application. In practice it varies, and some councils have paused or limited new applications, so check your council's page. If you need an occupational therapist report first, that can add a wait. We found no official waiting times for HSE assessments.
Will applying affect my Medical Card or other benefits?
The grant is a one-off payment towards building work, paid when the work is done. We found no official rule that counts it against a medical card or a social welfare payment. If you are unsure, ask the HSE or the Department of Social Protection.
Ready to start your application?
If your check looks promising, our grant kit prepares your application for you to sign and send. Or ask us anything first, free.
Start my application →Need a hand with an application? Just ask, we would be delighted to help, and it is free. Email us at hello@thegranthub.ie.