Revenue eBrief No. 035/22

15 February 2022

Help to Buy (HTB)

Tax and Duty Manual Part 15-01-46 - Help to Buy (HTB) -  has been updated as follows:

  • Paragraph 1 has been updated to confirm that Finance Act 2021 extended the enhanced HTB relief to 31 December 2022.
  • Paragraph 2.3 specifies that claims relating to the retrospective period must have been made prior to 31 December 2019.
  • Definitions have been provided for each of the following terms:
    • first-time buyer- paragraph 4
    • qualifying residence – paragraph 5
    • qualifying period – paragraph 6
    • qualifying loan – paragraph 7.1
    • qualifying lender – paragraph 7.3.
  • Paragraph 8 outlines the tax compliance requirements for both self-assessed and PAYE taxpayers.
  • Paragraph 11 details the HTB process and breaks it down into three different stages:
    • application stage – paragraph 11.1
    • claim stage – paragraph 11.2
    • verification stage – paragraph 11.3.
  • References to repayment of DIRT under Section 266A TCA 1997 (first-time buyer DIRT relief) have been removed.  The provisions of s.266A do not apply post 31 December 2017.