Malta widens first-time buyer scheme, lifts disability grant to €20,000
Government announces three changes to the First-Time Buyers Scheme, including a €20,000 grant for people with disabilities and extended eligibility.
The government has overhauled the First-Time Buyers Scheme with three targeted changes, the most significant being a jump in assistance for people with disabilities to €20,000.
Previously, eligible buyers received €1,000 per year over ten years. The new lump-sum equivalent removes the waiting period and puts more cash in hand at the point of purchase.
Housing and Lands Minister Owen Bonnici said the aim is to keep providing concrete assistance so more people can become homeowners. He described the package as strengthening support for people with disabilities while updating the scheme to reflect current realities.
The changes also cover people who received a property as a donation after 2022 and later took out a loan to build or complete the home. They will qualify for €1,000 a year for ten years.
In a third adjustment, the scheme now extends to buyers who are not first-time purchasers but are buying a property that will be their sole primary residence, provided they own no other properties. This is intended to help separated individuals who need a new home.
Housing Authority CEO Matthew Zerafa noted that not everyone starts from the same point and circumstances change. The amendments aim to deliver assistance more fairly to people with disabilities, separated individuals, and families in different situations.
Around 85% of Maltese families own their own home, one of the highest rates in Europe. The Housing Authority runs several schemes to support homeownership and cover associated costs.
For the property market, the expanded eligibility could stimulate demand among previously excluded groups. Developers and lenders may see a modest uptick in transactions from separated individuals and those who received donated properties.
The disability grant increase is the headline move, effectively removing the ten-year spread and giving beneficiaries immediate purchasing power. That shift aligns with broader policy efforts to improve accessibility and inclusion in housing.