KiwiSaver First Home Grant Calculator (NZ)
Estimate your eligibility for the NZ First Home Grant (FHG) and the maximum KiwiSaver first-home withdrawal you can make. Enter your KiwiSaver balance, contribution years, household income, and property type to see your grant amount, withdrawal cap, and headline rules. Free, runs in your browser, no sign-up.
How the KiwiSaver First Home Grant Works in 2026
The First Home Grant (FHG) is a contribution from the New Zealand Government towards the deposit on your first home, paid on top of the KiwiSaver first-home withdrawal. To qualify you must have contributed to KiwiSaver for at least three years (regular contributions of at least 3% of income), be buying your principal place of residence, and meet the income and house-price caps for your region. The grant pays NZ$1,000 per year of contribution, capped at NZ$5,000 per buyer for an existing home or NZ$10,000 per buyer for a new build.
Income and House Price Caps
The income cap is NZ$95,000 per year before tax for a single buyer and NZ$150,000 for a couple. House price caps depend on region: higher in Auckland, Wellington, Queenstown-Lakes, and certain Tauranga and Hamilton suburbs, and lower for the rest of New Zealand. Couples and joint applicants who both meet the contribution test can stack the grant — for two buyers on a new build the combined ceiling is NZ$20,000. Income is measured by the IR3/IR4 income for the 12 months prior to the application date.
KiwiSaver First-Home Withdrawal
Separately from the grant, KiwiSaver members who have been contributing for at least three years can withdraw nearly the entire balance to put toward a first home. Inland Revenue requires you to leave a minimum of NZ$1,000 in the account. The withdrawal includes your contributions, your employer's contributions, and any government contributions or returns earned. You must use the funds for the deposit or settlement on a property in New Zealand, and the property must be lived in (not rented out) for at least six months.
The 5-Year Rule and Maximum Grants
Even though the contribution test is three years, the grant scales with each full year of qualifying contributions: NZ$1,000 per year for three years (NZ$3,000), NZ$4,000 at four years, and NZ$5,000 at five or more years. For a new-build purchase, the per-year amount is doubled — NZ$2,000 per year up to NZ$10,000. So getting to the five-year mark before applying means a couple buying a new build together can receive NZ$20,000 in stacked grants on top of their KiwiSaver withdrawal.
Source: Kāinga Ora — KiwiSaver First Home Grant 2026 (kaingaora.govt.nz). Important: The FHG scheme has been under government review since 2024 and may be paused, modified, or replaced. Verify the current status with Kāinga Ora before applying. Last updated: 2026-05-03.