Help to Buy and First Home Scheme calculator for Ireland

Revenue says you can claim the lesser of three amounts: a cap, 10% of the purchase value of a new home (or the approved valuation of a self-build), and the Income Tax and DIRT you paid in the four tax years before you apply. The cap is €35,000 if you sign your contract from 7 October 2026 to 31 December 2029. It was €30,000 for contracts from 23 July 2020 to 6 October 2026.

Revenue says you must be a first-time purchaser, buy or self-build a qualifying property at €500,000 or less, live in it as your main home for five years, be tax compliant, and take out a mortgage with a qualifying lender for at least 70% of the price. If you buy with other people, all of them must be first-time purchasers.

A newly built house or apartment, with the construction subject to VAT in Ireland, that you will live in as your home. It must never have been used, or been suitable for use, as a home. A property bought as an investment does not qualify.

Income Tax and Deposit Interest Retention Tax (DIRT) you paid in Ireland. Revenue says USC and PRSI are not taken into account. The refund years are the four tax years immediately before the year you apply, and you must have filed an Income Tax Return for each year you select.

No. Revenue says the maximum is €35,000 per qualifying property, however many people sign the contract. You must apply as a group if there are two or more names on the mortgage. Each person chooses their own refund years, and the group's total cannot be more than the maximum.

It is a shared equity scheme run by the State with participating lenders. It bridges the gap between your deposit and mortgage combined and the price of a new home. In return it takes an equity share in the home, which you buy back when you choose. It is not a loan. Service charges apply from year six.

Up to 30% of the purchase price or build cost, or 20% if you also use Help to Buy. The minimum equity share is 2.5% of the price or €10,000, whichever is higher. The price must be within the ceiling for your local authority area.

Yes. The First Home Scheme says Help to Buy can contribute towards your deposit, but the First Home Scheme cannot. You need a minimum 10% deposit. Revenue says shared equity under the First Home Scheme is not counted when checking that your mortgage is at least 70% of the price. You cannot use the First Home Scheme with the Affordable Home Purchase Scheme or the Local Authority Home Loan.

Revenue can claw back the refund if you were not entitled to it, do not live in the property for a minimum of five years, or do not finish buying or building it.

You apply to Revenue in myAccount (or ROS if you are self-assessed). First register, file an Income Tax Return for each refund year and get your Statement of Liability. There are three stages: application, claim and verification. The refund is paid to your contractor, or to your mortgage account if you self-build.

It assumes first-time buyers on PAYE with standard tax credits, and it estimates tax paid from pay unless you enter your own figure. It leaves out DIRT, other credits and reliefs, the value of a self-build site, lender affordability checks and Central Bank exceptions, and other State schemes. Your lender and Revenue have the final say.