Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 7 November 2018
50. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Finance the number of help-to-buy grant applications received; the number of applications that reached claim stage; and the number of claims approved under the help-to-buy scheme since its inception in July 2016. [46007/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am advised that Revenue publishes a monthly update on the Help to Buy (HTB) scheme on the Revenue website. The most recent update to 01 October 2018 in respect of applications, both approved and pending, and claims made can be found at: www.revenue.ie/en/corporate/documents/statistics/tax-expenditures/help-to-buy-stats.pdf.
Revenue’s statistics show the number of applications received at 20,298 and the number of approved applications at 14,656 or 72.2%. Compliant taxpayers who complete their HTB application are provided with an application number and a summary of the maximum relief available to them under the incentive. Revenue encourages prospective applicants to file any necessary tax returns, and resolve any outstanding issues, before making the HTB application. This reduces processing delays when a person makes their HTB application.
When an applicant has purchased a qualifying property from a qualifying contractor, or a self-builder has drawn down the first tranche of his or her mortgage on a qualifying property, the application can progress to the claim stage. Details of claims made and approved as well as the value of approved claims are also provided in the monthly statistics referenced above. To the end of September, 9,034 HTB claims had been made, of which 8,841 had been approved.
