Economy Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald published the response to the Consultation on Support for Low Carbon Heating in Residential Buildings on 26 January 2026, the Department for the Economy said1. The consultation ran from 8 October 2024 to 10 January 2025 and drew 107 responses from energy representatives, trade associations, consumer representatives and housing providers1.
The department said the findings "will inform the design of a support scheme for low carbon heat and energy efficiency in residential buildings"1. According to the response, respondents backed widening eligibility to a range of low carbon technologies, requiring minimum performance and building efficiency standards, and strengthening consumer protection through certified installers1. Views on funding levels varied, though capital grants were favoured, and skills and supply chain gaps were identified1.
"The consultation responses and stakeholder engagement have been invaluable in shaping our options for how best to provide support for low carbon heating technologies that will lead the transition to decarbonising heat in our homes."
The Executive's Energy Strategy, Path to Net Zero Energy, commits to introducing support for low carbon heat technologies including heat pumps1. The department said the publication is a step towards that support, which it says will incentivise consumers to switch away from "the price volatility associated with fossil fuel reliance" and, through improved energy efficiency, bring lower energy use and reduced heating bills1. The Minister said the work would "help cut emissions, create good jobs, boost productivity and support communities across the north, while helping people make the switch to cleaner energy"1.
| Consultation stage | Date |
|---|---|
| Published | 8 October 2024 |
| Closed | 10 January 2025 |
| Responses received | 107 |
| Government response published | 26 January 2026 |
Why it matters for households
Most homes in Northern Ireland heat with oil or gas rather than a heat pump, so the shape of any support scheme matters to household budgets and to how exposed a home is to fuel price swings. The consultation response points to capital grants as the favoured funding route, minimum performance and building efficiency standards, and certified installers as the route to consumer protection1. Those three elements, taken together, would determine what a household could claim, what standard the work would have to meet, and who would be allowed to do it. The department has not published grant rates, eligibility thresholds or a list of eligible technologies; those have not been reported1. The consultation is one stage in the process by which rules are proposed, decided and changed.
What happens next
The department said this year's next steps include consulting on financial options and developing a high level scheme design, and then legislating next year, prior to launch1. A public consultation on scheme design and financial options for a future domestic energy efficiency and heat programme will be published later this year1.