ELECTRIC.IE • The Magazine & Website for the Irish Electrical Industry • 47 LEDInVdAuNsCtrEy News New and Enhanced Home Energy Grants from SEAI The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) is encouraging homeowners to upgrade their homes to make them more comfortable, healthier and less costly to run. This is timely advice as households look for ways to address higher energy costs ahead of the next heating season. With an expanded range of grant supports now available, SEAI is advising homeowners that early research and planning can help them make better decisions, maximise the supports available to them, and New and enhanced home energy grants from SEAI make this summer the right time upgrade your home ahead of next winter. ensure upgrades are completed before peak winter demand. Most importantly, they improve comfort and reduce energy bills sooner. SEAI is encouraging homeowners not to wait until the colder months to consider upgrades, noting that planning, grant applications and contractor availability can take time. By starting now, homeowners can: • Take advantage of current grant supports • Spread the cost and planning of works over time • Ensure upgrades are completed before peak winter demand • Improve comfort and reduce energy bills sooner In the first three months of 2026, SEAI supported 12,300 home energy upgrades through Government-funded grant schemes. And so far, this year there has been a record 25,000 grant applications processed after enhanced SEAI supports were announced earlier this year. https://www.seai.ie/homeenergyupgrades Visit the website New Customs Rules for Goods from Outside the European Union (EU) Revenue reminds consumers who shop online of important changes to Customs rules for goods valued at €150 or less purchased from outside the European Union (EU) (including Great Britain). These changes will take effect in all Member States, including Ireland, from 1 July 2026. This will result in some online purchases becoming more expensive and will affect the process for returning goods. Currently, there is no Customs Duty on eCommerce packages entering the EU where the goods (excluding delivery charges etc.) are valued at €150 or less. From 1 July, a new Customs Duty of €3 for each item in a parcel will apply to goods bought online from non-EU countries, including Great Britain. How the new Customs Duty will be paid Consumers will pay the €3 Customs Duty per item in one of two ways, depending on the terms and conditions of the business they are buying from: • Charged at checkout: Some websites will be set up to collect the duty at the point of sale. In this case, the €3 duty will be shown to you and will indicate that the total price you pay at checkout will be the final price, with no extra charges on delivery. • Charged on delivery: Other websites may not collect the duty at checkout. If this is the case, the delivery company (for example, your postal service or courier) will require you to pay the €3 duty per item before your goods can be delivered. Action for consumers: Before completing a purchase, check the website’s terms and conditions to understand how the business selling the goods apply Customs charges. There are also implications for the returns process. Further information is available on the Revenue website and includes examples of how the charge is applied per item.
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