The Vale Eficiência is the programme most people link with «State money to replace windows». It gave €1,300 vouchers to vulnerable families, and windows were the first line on the list. It no longer takes applications, but the Government announced a way out for about 28,000 families who ended up with no voucher. This guide explains how the programme worked, what changed in 2026 and what to do in each case.
For all of today’s grants, start with the guide to window grants, which has a quiz for your case.
How it worked
According to the Fundo Ambiental page, the Vale Eficiência II had a budget of 130 million euros, of which 104 million for this second phase. Each household could receive up to three vouchers of €1,300 (plus VAT, according to the press), depending on the work chosen.
Who could apply. People on the social electricity tariff, or with someone in the household receiving certain minimum social benefits (such as the solidarity supplement for the elderly or the social insertion income), who owned, had usufruct of, or rented the home and lived there. According to Santander, a tenant needed a lease, proof of tax address and the owner’s permission, and tax and social-security matters had to be in order.
What it paid for. According to the page, the list had class A windows with external solar shading (the top-priority line), renewable hot-water systems, heating or cooling systems and photovoltaic panels for self-consumption.
How you applied. Described by Santander in three steps: an online application on the Fundo Ambiental platform, alone or with an administrative facilitator; choosing the work and the supplier, with a technical facilitator, who was to get at least three quotes; and carrying out the work and sending the final documents for payment.
The timeline
| Date | What happened | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 20 October 2023 | The notice for the second phase is published | Fundo Ambiental |
| 31 October 2024, 17:59 | Beneficiary applications close | Fundo Ambiental |
| 31 July 2025 | Supplier and technical-facilitator applications close | Fundo Ambiental |
| February 2026 | New vouchers stop being awarded | Press and Santander |
| 30 June 2026 | The PRR, which funded the programme, ends | Santander |
| 1 July 2026 | The minister announces the new model for families with no voucher | Lusa |
| 15 October 2026 | Planned start of contact with those families | Lusa |
The numbers
At the 1 July 2026 hearing, according to Lusa, there were 48,131 eligible applications across the two phases, with data up to 26 June. About 28,000 families (27,960, in the minister’s calendar) were eligible but had no voucher awarded. In the second phase, more than 17,000 applications had been paid.
The new model for those with no voucher
The minister said the Government will support those families with a new voucher model, funded by the Fundo Ambiental and now outside the PRR. According to Lusa:
- There is no new call. The Government knows who the families are and has their emails.
- There is no new assessment. Only debts to the tax office and social security will be checked.
- Contact starts on 15 October 2026, to choose the equipment and plan the work with participating suppliers. Talks with suppliers were planned for September.
The programme’s official page, which I read on 22 October 2026, does not mention the new model, and I found neither a press release nor news after 15 October. Official confirmation is missing. We do not know whether the voucher value is the same.
What to do in each case
I applied and the application was eligible, but I got no voucher. Check your email, the spam folder too, for a message from the Fundo Ambiental or the Agência para o Clima. Check the e-Balcão too, which the programme page names as the only official channel. If nothing came, write to them through the e-Balcão and ask about your file.
I got a voucher and have not done the work. According to Santander, vouchers already issued stay valid and will be paid within their period of use. Check the validity written on your voucher.
I did not apply. This model is not for you: there will be no new call. See the Banco Português de Fomento loan and your council’s programme in the grants guide. From 2027, the Social Climate Plan may bring a similar measure, with no rules published yet.
Beware of scams
When a grant makes the news, people turn up promising «windows paid by the State». The Fundo Ambiental names the e-Balcão as the only official channel. Be wary of anyone who asks for money to «guarantee» a voucher, asks for your access codes or says they will apply for you. See how to check a company.
Class A windows
If you have a voucher for windows, class A refers to the ADENE CLASSE+ label. Ask the installer for the label ID of each window before ordering. See the article on the CLASSE+ label and the list of what should be in the quote.
What we could not confirm
- Whether the new model is already running, and whether the families have been contacted.
- The value and rules of the new vouchers.
- Whether the return of support in 2027, through the Social Climate Plan, will include windows.
Sources
- Fundo Ambiental: Vale Eficiência II: budget, voucher value, who could apply, equipment, closing dates. Read on 22 October 2026.
- Santander: Vale Eficiência (updated 26 August 2026): process steps, end of the PRR and programme status. A bank’s page, used only as support.
- Executive Digest/Lusa, 1 July 2026: figures, the minister’s statements and contact from 15 October. Press.
What to do next
- See all grants and take the quiz: window grants.
- Get an idea of the price with the calculator.
- Learn to read warranties and certificates.