FLISP Calculator ZA | Check Subsidy Amount & Repayment

Your FLISP subsidy is worked out on one number: your gross monthly household income. If that figure sits between R3,501 and R22,000, you qualify for a once-off subsidy on a sliding scale running from R169,264.60 at the bottom of the band down to R38,911.40 at the top. The less you earn, the more you get. Nothing else changes that figure. Not the purchase price, not your deposit, not your loan term.

One thing to know before you plan around the number. Since 1 April 2026, the NHFC no longer accepts new applications all year round. They are only taken during designated open application windows, and the dates for the 2026/27 financial year have not been published yet. So treat your estimate as preparation, not something you can act on today.

What the FLISP Calculator Actually Works Out

FLISP, the Finance Linked Individual Subsidy Programme, was renamed First Home Finance (FHF) a while back. Banks, bond originators and property sites still use both names interchangeably. Same subsidy, same rules, same administrator.

The calculator is a planning tool, not a portal. You are not applying for anything by using it. It reads your income against the official NHFC subsidy quantum scale and tells you where you land, so you walk into a bank with a real figure instead of a guess.

It only asks for income because income is the only variable in the subsidy formula. Purchase price, deposit and loan term all matter enormously to your bond, but they have no effect on how much government contributes. If you have seen calculators asking for five or six inputs, they are estimating your bond repayment alongside the subsidy, which is a different question.

FLISP Subsidy Amount 2026: How Much Does FLISP Pay Out?

The amount works on a sliding scale: the lower your income within the qualifying band of R3,501 to R22,000 per month, the larger your subsidy. Someone earning close to R3,501 can receive the maximum, while someone near R22,000 receives the minimum.

You never get this money as cash. It is paid into your property transaction and applied to reduce your home loan, cover part of your deposit, or bridge a shortfall on the purchase. Your exact figure is only confirmed once the NHFC assesses your verified income against its official subsidy quantum table. This guide explains the current range, how the amount is worked out, and where to find your precise figure.

R169,264.60 at the maximum. Where you land inside that range depends entirely on your gross monthly household income.

• Maximum subsidy (around R169,264): for the lowest qualifying earners, near R3,501 per month
• Minimum subsidy (around R38,911): for the highest qualifying earners, near R22,000 per month

This range is corroborated across current official and lender sources, including the Western Cape Government’s housing subsidy page. It is a once-off payment, not a monthly benefit, and it is not repayable, which we explain in our guide on whether you pay back FLISP.

What Determines Your Subsidy Amount?

The single biggest factor is your gross monthly household income. First Home Finance is built around the housing “gap market”, meaning households that earn too much to qualify for a free RDP house but too little to comfortably afford a home loan alone.

The scale is designed so that support is largest where the affordability gap is widest:

• The lower your income within the R3,501 to R22,000 band, the larger your subsidy
• The higher your income within that band, the smaller your subsidy
• Household income is assessed jointly for married or cohabiting applicants

Because the amount is tied to verified income, your confirmed figure is only locked in once the NHFC assesses your application. You can estimate your likely subsidy before you apply using our FLISP calculator.

FLISP Payout by Income: An Illustrative Guide

The table below shows the shape of the sliding scale between the published minimum and maximum. These in-between figures are illustrative only and are not the official band amounts.

⚠️ Only the floor and ceiling figures are official. The middle values are a straight-line estimate to show the general shape of the scale. The NHFC sets the actual subsidy in specific income bands rather than a smooth curve, so your real amount may differ from these interpolated numbers. For the exact band that applies to your income, see our full FLISP subsidy table.

A Note on Older Subsidy Figures

If you come across different numbers elsewhere, that is usually because the subsidy quantum table has been revised over the years. For example, the NHFC’s own FAQ page has separately quoted an older range of R27,960 to R121,626, and some lender guides still show intermediate ranges such as R30,001 to R130,505. These appear to be previously published versions rather than the current figures.

This is a useful reminder that these amounts do get revised. Always check the current official subsidy quantum table on the NHFC or First Home Finance portal, or ask your bank or bond originator for your confirmed amount, before relying on any single number.

For a fuller breakdown of the requirements and the documents you need, see how to qualify for a housing subsidy.

Official FLISP Subsidy Table 2026 (All 91 Bands)

These are the exact figures from the NHFC and Department of Human Settlements First Home Finance Subsidy Quantum Table (implementation date 1 April 2023, still the current scale). The subsidy starts at R169,264.60 in band 1 and drops by a fixed R1,448.74 at almost every step, down to R38,911.40 in band 91. Most bands span about R200 of monthly income, though a few are slightly narrower or wider:

Find your gross monthly household income in the first two columns and read the subsidy across. If you would rather enter your income and property price and get a personalised bond estimate, use the FLISP calculator, which runs on these same official bands. For a plain-English breakdown of what actually lands on your loan, see how much FLISP pays out.

You Do Not Necessarily Need a Mortgage

This is the part that has changed most, and the part most articles get wrong.

A bond approval is no longer the only route in. The NHFC now accepts First Home Finance alongside any of the following:

• Mortgage loans from an accredited lender
• Unsecured housing loans from any NCR-registered lender
• Pension-backed housing loans granted or guaranteed by a pension or provident fund
• Loans from community-based savings schemes, including stokvels and co-operatives
• Employer-assisted housing schemes, including the Government Employees Housing Scheme
• Instalment sale agreements
• Rent-to-buy or deferred ownership arrangements
• Your own savings or cash, with no borrowing at all
• Permission to Occupy issued by a recognised Traditional Authority, for rural applicants

There is also a no financial contribution route: if the subsidy you qualify for is equal to or greater than the purchase price of the property, you do not need finance at all.

And in some provinces you can apply retrospectively. Western Cape, for example, allows a mortgage-route application where the property has already been transferred into your name no longer than six months ago. This varies by province, so check locally rather than assuming.

Because most routes still involve a lender assessment, it is worth understanding whether FLISP checks your credit score before you apply.

How the Subsidy Is Paid and What It Can Cover

The money does not land in your bank account. It goes to your lender or the transferring attorney, and it is applied to:

• Reduce the principal on your home loan, which lowers your instalment for the life of the loan
• Act as your deposit, which makes approval easier and can improve your rate
• Close the shortfall between what the bank approved and what the property costs

On transfer and bond registration costs, be careful. The NHFC’s own Conditions of Subsidy state the subsidy may not be used to finance transfer costs or bond registration, yet the Western Cape lists those costs as covered under the no-contribution route. Treat it as route-dependent and province-dependent, and get it confirmed in writing before you budget around it.

Worth knowing anyway: transfer duty is zero on properties at or below R1,210,000, which covers most First Home Finance purchases. Attorney and Deeds Office fees still apply.

If you are building rather than buying, the subsidy does not cover geotechnical assessment fees, architectural fees, structural engineer fees or plan approval fees. It does cover the NHBRC enrolment certificate. Budget for the excluded items separately.

Two conditions catch people out. The subsidy is once-off and non-repayable, which we cover in do you pay back FLISP. And if the property is not transferred to you within three months of the Provincial Department making the subsidy available, the Department can withdraw it at its discretion.

For timelines on when funds actually move, see how long FLISP takes to pay out.

FLISP Calculator vs Other Property Calculators

Each of these answers a different question, and you need all three before you make an offer.

At the current prime lending rate of 10.50%, held by the Reserve Bank at its July 2026 meeting with the repo rate at 7.00%, your instalment on the loan portion after the subsidy is applied will look meaningfully different from what it would at a higher rate. Run the bond numbers at the current rate, then again a point higher, so a future hike does not catch you out.

FAQs

How reliable is the estimate? Close, because the scale is published and the formula is fixed. Your final figure is only confirmed once the NHFC verifies your income and eligibility.

What is the actual minimum and maximum right now? R38,911.40 at the R22,000 income ceiling, up to R169,264.60 at the R3,501 floor.

Can I apply if I am single with no children? Probably, though provinces differ. The current national criteria do not require dependants, but some provincial offices still apply the older rule. Confirm with your province before you commit.

I already own a rental property elsewhere. Can I still use FLISP? No. The Deeds Register check looks for any prior residential ownership, anywhere in the country.

Can I apply right now? Not unless a window is open. New applications are only accepted during designated windows, and the 2026/27 dates have not been announced. Applications already submitted are unaffected.

Where to Go From Here

Run your income through the calculator, note the figure, then get your finance sorted so you are ready when the next application window opens. Once you are at that point, our guide to the FLISP application covers the forms, documents and submission routes in detail.