Government scheme guide · Ireland
The Help to Buy tax refund gives first-time buyers up to €30,000 toward a new-build deposit. Here's exactly how it works, how much you can get, and how to claim it.
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Help to Buy (HTB) is a Revenue tax-refund scheme that helps first-time buyers fund the deposit on a new-build home. It refunds income tax and DIRT you've already paid over the previous four years, up to a maximum of €30,000 or 10% of the purchase price — whichever is lower.
Two key limits to remember up front: it's for new builds only (not second-hand homes), and for first-time buyers only. The money is paid toward your deposit, not to you directly.
Your refund is the lowest of these three figures:
That third figure is the one people overlook. Illustrative examples (the actual figure depends on your real tax record):
You can check your exact four-year tax total through Revenue's myAccount.
The process typically takes around two to four weeks. We make sure your application timing lines up with your mortgage so nothing holds up your deposit.
Help to Buy and the First Home Scheme (FHS) are designed to work together. HTB tops up your deposit; FHS provides a shared-equity contribution toward the purchase price. Used in combination, the two cannot exceed 30% of the purchase price.
FHS requires a mortgage from a participating lender — Haven, Bank of Ireland and PTSB are among those that take part. We model both schemes together and check the result against the lenders that support them, so you see your true cash requirement before you commit.
Help to Buy (HTB) is a government tax-refund scheme that gives first-time buyers up to €30,000 toward the deposit on a new-build home. It refunds income tax and DIRT you've paid over the previous four years. It applies to new builds only, for first-time buyers only, and the refund is paid toward your deposit.
The refund 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 over the previous four years. So if you've paid less than €30,000 in tax over four years, that lower figure is your cap.
You must be a first-time buyer, buying or building a new home to live in as your main residence, with a property value of €500,000 or less. You must take out a mortgage of at least 70% of the purchase price (a loan-to-value of 70% or more), and be tax-compliant for the four years you're claiming.
Yes. Help to Buy applies only to newly built properties and self-builds — it cannot be used for second-hand homes. The home must be bought from a qualifying contractor or self-built, and must be your principal residence.
You apply online through Revenue's myAccount or ROS in two stages — an application stage where Revenue confirms your maximum refund, and a claim stage once you've signed contracts. It typically takes around two to four weeks, and your broker or solicitor helps line the paperwork up. Approval is valid for the relevant tax year.
Yes. Many first-time buyers use both: Help to Buy provides up to €30,000 toward the deposit, and the First Home Scheme provides a shared-equity top-up. The two combined cannot exceed 30% of the purchase price. The First Home Scheme requires a mortgage from a participating lender — Haven, Bank of Ireland and PTSB are among those that participate.
See how Help to Buy and the First Home Scheme change what you need to save — run your figures free in about 60 seconds, then speak to Francis.
Warning: If you do not keep up your repayments you may lose your home.
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