Ireland Help to Buy Calculator: First-Time Buyer Tax Refund
Work out the Irish Help to Buy (HTB) refund — the tax rebate that helps first-time buyers of a new home with their deposit — as up to 10% of the property price, and the balance of the price after it.
Adjust the inputs and select Calculate for a full breakdown.
Compare Common Scenarios
How the numbers shift across typical situations for this calculator:
| Scenario | Help to Buy refund | Price after the refund |
|---|---|---|
| 10% of €300,000 (€30,000 cap) | 30,000 | 270,000 |
| 10% of €250,000 | 25,000 | 225,000 |
| 10% of €200,000 | 20,000 | 180,000 |
| 10% of €350,000 (above cap) | 35,000 | 315,000 |
How This Calculator Works
Enter the HTB rate (up to 10%) and the property price. The calculator returns the refund and the price net of it. Help to Buy is an income-tax and DIRT rebate for first-time buyers purchasing or self-building a new home: it refunds tax you've already paid, up to 10% of the price, subject to a fixed monetary cap and a property-value ceiling.
The Formula
Percentage of an Amount
Amount is the base value, Percentage is the rate applied to it
Worked Example
At 10% on a €300,000 new home, the Help to Buy refund is €30,000 — which is also the scheme's maximum, leaving €270,000 of the price to fund otherwise. Help to Buy (HTB) is an Irish government incentive for first-time buyers of newly built homes (or self-builds). It refunds income tax and DIRT paid over the previous four years, up to 10% of the purchase price, capped at a fixed maximum. The money goes toward the deposit, helping buyers meet the Central Bank's deposit rules. It applies only to new properties, not second-hand homes.
Key Insight
Help to Buy is one of the most-used supports for getting onto the Irish property ladder, and several conditions shape the actual refund. What it is: a rebate of income tax (and DIRT) you've already paid over the four tax years before the claim — so it's your own past tax coming back, not a grant, which means the refund can't exceed the tax you actually paid in that period (a key limiter for younger or lower-income buyers). The amount: up to 10% of the purchase price, but subject to a fixed overall monetary cap (an absolute maximum refund), so above a certain price the 10% is capped at that euro figure — which is why a €300,000 home hits the cap exactly at the maximum in the example. Eligibility: you must be a first-time buyer (all purchasers must be first-timers), the home must be newly built or a self-build (second-hand homes don't qualify), its value must be at or below a set ceiling, and you must take out a mortgage of at least a minimum percentage of the price. The enhanced rates and caps introduced in recent years have been extended by successive budgets, so the exact percentage and cap depend on the period and should be confirmed. Practically, the refund is paid toward the deposit (to the developer for a purchase, or to a bank account for a self-build) and counts toward the Central Bank deposit requirement. A separate scheme, the First Home Scheme (shared equity), can be combined with HTB for additional help. This calculator shows the headline 10% of price and the balance after it; for your real entitlement, apply the monetary cap, check the property-value ceiling and first-time-buyer conditions, and remember the refund is limited to the tax you've paid.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is the Help to Buy refund calculated?
It's up to 10% of the property price, subject to a fixed maximum and limited to the income tax and DIRT you paid over the previous four years. On a €300,000 new home, 10% is €30,000 — which also matches the scheme's cap. Above the cap price, the refund stops rising.
What is Help to Buy?
An Irish government incentive for first-time buyers of newly built homes or self-builds. It refunds income tax and DIRT you've already paid over the prior four years — up to 10% of the price, capped at a fixed maximum — toward your deposit. It doesn't apply to second-hand homes.
Who qualifies for Help to Buy?
First-time buyers only (all purchasers must be first-timers), buying or self-building a new home valued at or below a set ceiling, with a mortgage of at least a minimum percentage of the price. Because it refunds tax you've paid, your refund can't exceed the income tax and DIRT paid in the relevant four years.
Is the refund really 10% of any price?
No — it's 10% only up to a fixed monetary cap. Beyond a certain price the refund is limited to that maximum euro amount rather than a full 10%, and there's also a property-value ceiling for eligibility. This calculator shows the headline 10%, so apply the cap for higher-priced homes.
Can Help to Buy be combined with other schemes?
Yes — it can be used alongside the First Home Scheme (a shared-equity support), subject to each scheme's rules, for additional help with a new home. The HTB refund itself goes toward your deposit and counts toward the Central Bank's minimum deposit requirement for the mortgage.
Related Calculators
Methodology & Review
The HTB refund is the scheme rate applied to the property price; the remainder is the price after the refund. It models the headline 10% on the price and does not apply the overall monetary cap (a fixed maximum refund), the property-price ceiling for eligibility, or the limit that the refund can't exceed the tax you paid over the relevant years.
Written by Ugo Candido · Last updated May 22, 2026.