First Home Scheme
The scheme pays up to 30% of the cost of your new home (20% if you also use Help to Buy) and takes an equity share of the same size, which you must pay off in full in certain situations, or can choose to buy back early.
Last checked July 2026
What it is
Shared-equity help for first-time buyers of a new home.
Who can get it
- You are a first-time buyer, a first-time self-builder, or a fresh start applicant
- You are buying a new build in a private development, self-building on your own site, or buying the home you currently rent (the tenant home purchase option)
- The home is in the Republic of Ireland and within the price ceiling set for that area
- You have at least a 10% deposit, and you are borrowing the maximum your lender will give you (up to 4 times your income), rather than using a Macro Prudential Exception
- The scheme takes an equity share of your home equal to the percentage it puts in, so it owns a slice of the home until that share is redeemed.
- You MUST redeem (buy back in full) the equity share if: you sell the home, you switch your mortgage to a lender outside the scheme, the home stops being your main home (you get a 3-month window, with limited exceptions such as employer relocation up to 4 years, or medical/care residency), or the sole or last surviving owner dies.
- A service charge builds up on the scheme's share over time, so it is not free money in the long run.
- The minimum equity share the scheme will put in is 2.5% of the price or build cost, or €10,000, whichever is higher, there is a floor as well as the 20-30% ceiling.
- There is no income limit, upper or lower, for this scheme.
- Price ceilings vary by area, so what qualifies in one county may not in another. Check the ceiling for where you are buying.
- You can combine it with the Help to Buy scheme, but then the First Home share is capped at 20%.
How to apply
Applications go through First Home Scheme. The official page has the full eligibility rules and the application itself.
Go to the official page →Checked against the official source on 15 July 2026. Always confirm the details on the official page before applying.
Questions people ask
How much does the First Home Scheme give?
Up to 30% of the purchase price or build cost, or up to 20% if you are also using the Help to Buy scheme. In return the scheme takes an equity share of the same size in your home.
Who can use the First Home Scheme?
First-time buyers, first-time self-builders, and fresh start applicants, for example people who have been through divorce, separation or insolvency and no longer own a home.
What can I buy with it?
A new build in a private development, a self-build on your own site, or the home you currently rent. It is available anywhere in the Republic of Ireland, within the price ceiling set for that area.
Is there a cost to the equity share?
Yes, a service charge builds up on the share over the years. You can buy it back early if you want, but you don't just choose to buy it back whenever suits you, there are situations where you MUST redeem it: if you sell the home, switch your mortgage to a lender outside the scheme, the home stops being your main home (a 3-month window applies, with limited exceptions), or the sole or last owner dies.
Do I need a deposit for the First Home Scheme?
Yes, a minimum 10% deposit is required, the same as any first-time buyer. For a self-build, the value of your site can count towards this.
Is there an income limit for the First Home Scheme?
No. There is no upper or lower household income limit, income is not considered for eligibility.
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