In short
Help to Buy gives first-time buyers back income tax and DIRT they paid over the previous four years, to put towards buying or building a new home. Budget 2027 raised the maximum from €30,000 to €35,000, with immediate effect. You need to be tax compliant to qualify.
Who may qualify
- You're a first-time buyer, and so is anyone buying with you
- You're buying a newly built home, or building one yourself, to live in
- The property is within the scheme's value limit ◆
- Your mortgage meets the scheme's minimum loan-to-value ◆
- You're up to date with your tax
How much you can get
The lowest of three amounts: €35,000, a percentage of the purchase price ◆, or the income tax and DIRT you paid in the previous four years. If your tax paid is low, missing credits or reliefs can affect this too, so it's worth having your record checked first.
How to apply
- Register for Help to Buy in myAccount and complete the application.
- Submit any income tax returns needed for the previous four years.
- Your solicitor or the developer completes the claim stage.
Where we help
We make sure your last four years are filed correctly and you're tax compliant before you apply. That's often where Help to Buy claims get stuck.
Sources
Revenue: Help to Buy incentive. Citizens Information: Budget 2027. Confirm the property value limit, the percentage of price, and the loan-to-value rule before publishing ◆.
Questions for Revenue directly? Call the PAYE helpline on 01 738 3636 (Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 1.30pm), or see all Revenue contact numbers.
General information, not advice on your own situation. TaxMind checks your record before filing anything.
