First Home Grant NZ Scrapped: What Replaced It in 2026
New Zealand's First Home Grant closed to new applications in May 2024. What still helps first-home buyers: First Home Loan (5% deposit), KiwiSaver withdrawal, and what no longer exists.
First Home Grant NZ Scrapped: What Replaced It in 2026
If you are still Googling "first home grant nz", you are not alone - residual search demand for the old name is still strong. The scheme itself is not. Kāinga Ora stopped accepting new First Home Grant applications on 22 May 2024.
This post is the short, current answer so you do not plan a deposit around money that no longer exists.
The 30-second summary
- First Home Grant: closed to new applications from 22 May 2024 (was up to $5,000 existing / $10,000 new build per eligible buyer).
- No cash-grant replacement - Budget 2024 redirected that funding toward social housing.
- Still available: First Home Loan (5% deposit pathway) and KiwiSaver first-home withdrawal.
- Also closed / full: First Home Partner co-ownership for new applicants.
- Use the KiwiSaver first home calculator and NZ purchase costs calculator for the tools that still matter.
What the grant used to be
The First Home Grant was government cash toward a deposit for eligible KiwiSaver members, subject to income and regional house-price caps. Couples could sometimes stack grants. For many buyers it was a few thousand dollars - helpful, not transformative - and by 2024 ministers argued it covered a much smaller share of a typical deposit than when it launched.
What still helps in 2026
1. First Home Loan (5% deposit)
Participating lenders can offer eligible buyers a home loan with as little as a 5% deposit, underwritten by Kāinga Ora. You still need to meet the lender's credit and serviceability tests. Expect lender's mortgage insurance and any application fees the lender charges. Confirm current income caps and participating lenders on the Kāinga Ora First Home Loan page before you assume you qualify.
2. KiwiSaver first-home withdrawal
After three years in KiwiSaver you can usually withdraw nearly all of your balance toward a first home, leaving at least $1,000 in the account. Overseas pension transfers are typically excluded. Apply via your scheme provider. Second-chance buyers may need a Kāinga Ora eligibility letter first.
3. Normal borrowing capacity and costs
A 5% deposit path does not remove repayments, rates, insurance, or purchase costs. Run NZ borrowing capacity and NZ property purchase costs before you treat a low deposit as "affordable."
What is gone
| Scheme | Status |
|---|---|
| First Home Grant | Closed to new applications (22 May 2024) |
| First Home Partner | Full / no new applications |
| Like-for-like cash grant replacement | None |
If old articles still mention the grant
Many 2023-early-2024 guides (including older KiwiSaver explainers) still describe stacking a $5k/$10k grant on top of a KiwiSaver withdrawal. Treat those sections as historical. Plan the deposit from savings + KiwiSaver withdrawal + First Home Loan eligibility, not from a grant cheque at settlement.
Next steps
- Confirm First Home Loan criteria with a participating lender or mortgage broker.
- Estimate your withdrawable KiwiSaver balance with the KiwiSaver calculator.
- Add legal, LIM and other purchase costs with the NZ purchase costs calculator.
The search term "first home grant nz" still means something to Google. In policy terms it means: that cash grant is finished - use the loan and KiwiSaver tools that remain.
Frequently asked questions
Does the First Home Grant still exist in New Zealand?
No. Kāinga Ora stopped accepting new First Home Grant applications from 22 May 2024. The grant (up to $5,000 for existing homes or $10,000 for new builds per eligible buyer) is closed. Existing approvals already issued were still honoured for a limited window.
What replaced the First Home Grant?
There is no like-for-like cash grant replacement. The government kept the First Home Loan (5% deposit pathway underwritten by Kāinga Ora) and KiwiSaver first-home withdrawals. Budget 2024 redirected grant funding toward social housing places.
What is the First Home Loan?
A low-deposit home loan from participating lenders, underwritten by Kāinga Ora, that can allow eligible buyers to purchase with as little as a 5% deposit instead of the more common 20%. Lenders still apply their own serviceability and credit criteria, and LMI / application fees may apply.
Can I still use KiwiSaver for a first home?
Yes. After at least three years' membership you can usually withdraw most of your KiwiSaver balance toward a first home, leaving at least $1,000 in the account. Apply through your KiwiSaver provider.
Is First Home Partner still open?
No new applications. Government guidance lists First Home Partner as full / closed alongside the scrapped grant.
Where should I start if I was searching for the First Home Grant?
Check First Home Loan eligibility with a participating lender or broker, model your KiwiSaver withdrawal, and estimate purchase costs. The cash grant itself is gone.
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