If you’ve been researching first home buyer support in New Zealand, you have probably seen the First Home Grant (often called the KiwiSaver first home grant), the HomeStart grant and the First Home Loan, with conflicting information about what still exists. This page explains what the grant was, what happened when it closed, and what remains. The rest of the KiwiSaver first home guides are on the KiwiSaver first home hub.
The Short Answer
| Scheme | Status |
|---|---|
| First Home Grant (Kāinga Ora, the KiwiSaver first home grant) | Closed to new applications on 22 May 2024 |
| HomeStart grant | Not open to New Zealand buyers today (see below) |
| First Home Loan (Kāinga Ora, 5% deposit) | Open |
| KiwiSaver first home withdrawal | Open |
What Was the First Home Grant?
The First Home Grant was a Kāinga Ora scheme that paid eligible first home buyers who had been contributing to KiwiSaver a cash grant toward their purchase:
- Existing homes: up to $5,000 per person ($10,000 for a couple)
- New builds: up to $10,000 per person ($20,000 for a couple)
- income caps and regional house price caps applied.
Kāinga Ora stopped accepting new applications on 22 May 2024. If a website still lists the grant as available, it is out of date.
The KiwiSaver First Home Grant and Your KiwiSaver Withdrawal
When the grant was open, eligible buyers used it alongside their KiwiSaver first home withdrawal: the withdrawal paid out their KiwiSaver savings (less $1,000), and the grant added a separate cash amount from Kāinga Ora. A couple buying a new build could receive up to $20,000 in grants on top of their combined KiwiSaver withdrawals.
That combination is no longer possible, but the closure didn’t change the KiwiSaver withdrawal itself. How much you can withdraw is in KiwiSaver as a house deposit, and how to apply is in the KiwiSaver first home withdrawal guide.
People who applied before the grant closed
The Government’s announcement on 22 May 2024 said Kāinga Ora would still process applications it had already received, applicants with existing approvals could still access the grant, and pre-approvals would stay valid for six months from the approval date. Any pre-approval issued before the closure has now passed that six months, so no new grant payments can be made on one.
What Is the HomeStart Grant?
There is no HomeStart grant open to New Zealand first home buyers today. Australian state schemes with similar names (such as First Home Owner Grants) are separate and apply only to property in Australia.
What Changed in May 2024?
The Government ended the First Home Grant with immediate effect on 22 May 2024, as part of Budget 2024, and moved the funding to new social housing places. It said the grant mostly brought forward purchases rather than deciding whether people could buy, and kept both the First Home Loan and the KiwiSaver first home withdrawal.
What First Home Buyer Support Is Available Now?
1. KiwiSaver first home withdrawal (open)
After three years of KiwiSaver membership you can withdraw your balance, less $1,000, any savings transferred from an Australian scheme and any government contributions received for periods when New Zealand was not your principal place of residence, toward your first home (or land to build it on). There is no income cap or house price cap, you must intend to live in the property, and you must be a first home buyer or have a Kāinga Ora previous home owner decision. See first home withdrawal eligibility and KiwiSaver as a house deposit.
2. First Home Loan (open)
The Kāinga Ora First Home Loan lets eligible buyers borrow from participating lenders with a 5% deposit, and the KiwiSaver withdrawal can make up part or all of that deposit. Its income caps, fee and lenders are in the First Home Loan guide.
3. Kāinga Ora and other housing programmes
Kāinga Ora and community housing providers run other home ownership and affordable housing programmes for eligible households, and there are specific programmes for Māori housing, including on ancestral land. These are separate from the closed First Home Grant; check eligibility with the organisation running each one.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the First Home Grant still available?
No. Kāinga Ora stopped accepting new applications on 22 May 2024.
Will the First Home Grant be reinstated?
No reinstatement had been announced when this page was last updated. It would need a new government decision.
Can I still combine KiwiSaver with the First Home Grant?
No. The grant is closed, but the KiwiSaver first home withdrawal is a separate scheme and is still available.
What happened to people who had applied before the grant closed?
Applications already received were still processed, existing approvals could still be used, and pre-approvals stayed valid for six months from the approval date.
Is there an Australian grant I can access as a New Zealand citizen living in Australia?
Australian state First Home Owner Grant schemes have their own eligibility rules, which vary by state. They are separate from any New Zealand scheme.
What other ways are there to build a deposit now?
Your own and your employer’s KiwiSaver contributions, the KiwiSaver government contribution (up to $260.72 a year) and voluntary contributions all add to the balance you can withdraw.
What to Read Next
- KiwiSaver House Deposit Guide: how much you can withdraw
- KiwiSaver First Home Withdrawal Guide: how to apply
- First Home Withdrawal Eligibility: check if you qualify
- First Home Loan guide: buying with a 5% deposit