🏡 Can I claim the Help to Buy scheme in Ireland?

With conditions

Quick answer

Yes if you're a first-time buyer of a new home up to €500,000 — it's a refund of income tax you've already paid. Help to Buy gives the lesser of €30,000, 10% of the price, or the income tax and DIRT you paid over the last 4 years (USC and PRSI don't count). You must be a first-time buyer (and so must anyone buying with you), and the property must be a new build or self-build — second-hand homes don't qualify — costing €500,000 or less. You need a mortgage of at least 70% of the value (so cash buyers don't qualify), and you must live there as your main home for 5 years. For a purchase, the refund goes to the contractor, not to you. The enhanced scheme runs to 31 December 2029. In short: yes, for a new build with a qualifying mortgage.

📋 The rules

Lesser of €30,000, 10%, or tax paid over 4 years
Must be a first-time buyer
New build or self-build only, up to €500,000
Need a mortgage of at least 70% of value
Live there as your main home for 5 years

🔓 Exceptions

Cash buyers don't qualify — a 70% mortgage is mandatory
The refund goes to the contractor, not to you
Can combine with the First Home Scheme if you meet each scheme's rules

⚠️ Penalties & fines

The relief is capped at €30,000 per property, regardless of how many buyers are on the contract, and it only refunds tax you actually paid (income tax and DIRT, not USC or PRSI). Revenue can claw back the refund if you don't live in the home as your main residence for 5 years, or if the builder isn't a Revenue-approved qualifying contractor. The scheme runs for contracts signed (or first self-build drawdown) up to 31 December 2029. Beware a myth: "Help to Buy gives you €30,000 cash towards any house" is false — it only refunds tax you've paid, only on new builds up to €500,000, and the money goes to the builder, not into your pocket. To claim: apply through Revenue's myAccount or ROS, complete the application and claim stages, and use a registered qualifying contractor.

📎 Official sources

Last verified: 2026-06-20

❓ Frequently asked

How much is Help to Buy worth?

Help to Buy refunds the lesser of €30,000, 10% of the purchase price or approved valuation, or the income tax and DIRT you paid over the previous four years. USC and PRSI don't count. So the maximum is €30,000, but only if you've paid at least that much qualifying tax in the relevant period.

Who qualifies for Help to Buy?

You must be a first-time buyer, and anyone buying or building with you must also be a first-time buyer. The property must be a new build or a self-build costing €500,000 or less, and you need a mortgage of at least 70% of the value. Second-hand homes and cash purchases don't qualify.

Does the money come to me?

Not directly. For a purchase of a new home, the Help to Buy refund is paid straight to the qualifying contractor, where it goes towards your deposit. For a self-build, it's paid into a bank account held with your mortgage provider. Either way, it's a refund of tax you've paid, not a cash grant.

Can I use it on a second-hand house?

No. Help to Buy only applies to new builds and self-builds. Second-hand or previously occupied homes don't qualify, regardless of price. The scheme is designed to support the purchase or construction of newly built properties, which is why the refund is generally routed through the builder for a purchase.

Can I lose the refund afterwards?

Yes. Revenue can claw back the Help to Buy refund if you don't occupy the property as your main residence for at least five years, or if it turns out the contractor wasn't a Revenue-approved qualifying contractor. So it's important to use a registered contractor and to live in the home as required.

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