Saving a deposit is the hardest part of buying a first home — and the Help to Buy (HTB) scheme exists to take a big chunk out of it. It gives first-time buyers in Ireland a tax rebate of up to €30,000 toward the deposit on a new home, using income tax and DIRT you've already paid over the previous four years. Paired with the First Home Scheme, it can turn an impossible deposit into a real one.
Quick facts
- Worth
- Up to €30,000 toward your deposit
- Who
- First-time buyers of a new-build home (or a self-build)
- How
- A rebate of income tax & DIRT you paid over the last 4 years
- Cap
- The lowest of: €30,000 · 10% of the price · the tax you paid
- Where
- Apply through Revenue myAccount / ROS
Who qualifies for the Help to Buy scheme?
You qualify if you are a first-time buyer purchasing or building a new home worth €500,000 or less to live in as your main residence, with a mortgage of at least 70% of the price, and you are tax-compliant for the years you claim. Second-hand homes do not qualify.
- You're a first-time buyer (and if buying with someone, they must be too).
- You're buying or building a new home to live in as your main residence — HTB doesn't apply to second-hand homes.
- You take out a mortgage of at least 70% of the purchase price (or approved valuation for a self-build).
- You're tax-compliant for the years you're claiming.
- The new home must be valued at €500,000 or less.
How much is the Help to Buy rebate?
Up to €30,000. The rebate is the lowest of three figures: €30,000, 10% of the purchase price (or approved valuation for a self-build), or the total income tax and DIRT you paid in the four years before your claim. It goes toward your deposit, not your mortgage.
The rebate is the lowest of three figures:
- €30,000, or
- 10% of the purchase price (or approved valuation for a self-build), or
- the total income tax and DIRT you paid over the four years before your claim.
So the more tax you've paid in recent years, the more you can get back — up to the cap. It comes off your deposit, not your mortgage.
How do you apply for Help to Buy?
Apply through Revenue myAccount (or ROS if self-assessed): complete the Help to Buy application to get your maximum rebate figure, then move to the claim stage once you sign a contract or draw down a self-build mortgage. Your developer or solicitor verifies the claim and the rebate is paid toward your deposit.
Apply early (the "application" stage)
Log in to Revenue myAccount (or ROS if self-assessed) and complete the Help to Buy application. You'll get a summary and an application number.
Get your maximum figure
Revenue tells you the maximum rebate you qualify for based on the tax you've paid — useful to know before you sign anything.
Claim once you've signed
When you sign a contract (or draw down the first part of a self-build mortgage), move to the "claim" stage and enter the property details.
Your developer/solicitor verifies it
A qualifying contractor (or your solicitor for a self-build) verifies the claim. The rebate is then paid toward your deposit.
Check the First Home Scheme too
If there's still a gap, see whether the First Home Scheme can help — many buyers use both together.
Common questions
Can I use Help to Buy for a second-hand home?
How is the amount worked out?
Is Help to Buy still available in 2026?
Can I use it with the First Home Scheme?
Do I need a certain mortgage size?
Check the official sources
This guide is general information, not financial or tax advice. Scheme rules, caps and end dates change — always confirm the current details on Revenue.ie before you act.
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