Is the First Home Grant Still Available?
No. The First Home Grant was discontinued on 22 May 2024 and the government has not reinstated it. If you're researching first home buyer support in 2026, you'll still find plenty of articles describing the old grant — but no new applications are being accepted, and none will be paid.
The good news is that two other forms of support are still very much active, and for many buyers they're worth considerably more than the old grant ever was.
KiwiSaver First Home Withdrawal
Kāinga Ora First Home Loan
First Home Loan: Who Qualifies
The First Home Loan is currently the most valuable support scheme still on offer. As of 2026, income caps sit around $95,000 gross for a single buyer and $150,000 combined for two or more buyers. There's no longer a blanket national house price cap, but individual lenders and regions still apply their own limits for qualifying purchases — so it's worth checking the current figures for your region and lender before you commit to a property.
The loan is offered through a panel of participating banks, so you'll still go through a normal home loan application — the difference is Kāinga Ora underwrites the low-deposit risk instead of you paying a low-equity premium.
You cannot withdraw Australian superannuation transfers or government kick-start contributions as part of your KiwiSaver first home withdrawal — only your own and your employer's ongoing contributions plus returns.
Quick Summary
- First Home Grant: gone: Discontinued May 2024, no replacement announced.
- KiwiSaver withdrawal: active: Available after 3+ years of membership, applied for 4–6 weeks before settlement.
- First Home Loan: active: 5% deposit option through participating lenders, subject to income and price criteria.