Dubai Housing Grants: Unlocking Opportunities for Homebuyers

What Are Dubai Housing Grants?

Dubai house grants are financial assistance schemes that eligible UAE citizens can apply for.

As of now, foreigners and expats cannot apply for a Dubai house grant.

UAE citizens who have financial hardships and require financial assistance to set up, buy, or even renovate their homes can check if they are eligible to apply for either of the Dubai house grants. 

These grants are also commonly referred to as house improvement grants and house repair grants, as people can get funds to improve their living settings and conditions.

The aim of these grants is to ensure that every UAE citizen accesses quality housing - which is a basic necessity. So, whether you wish to buy a new house or renovate your current residence, you can secure one of the government housing grants and obtain funds for your endeavours. 

Housing Grants Provided By The Government In Dubai

The government provides two schemes for Dubai housing grants. Let us dive a bit deeper into them: 

Sheikh Zayed Housing Programme

One of the two government housing grants is named after the UAE’s founding father, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. This home-building grant reflects his vision of a country where all citizens have equal access to stability and prosperity. This programme emphasizes that a decent house is a fundamental requirement for all UAE citizens. 

Launched in 1999, this programme provides housing aid to orphans, widows, divorced women, and working-class citizens who cannot afford to buy their homes in the UAE. Housing aid under this house improvement grant comes in different forms, which will be listed below. 

This is one of the programmes under Dubai house grants that also provides interest-free loans to eligible citizens, which are repayable over a 25-year period. 

Here are some of the provisions one can access under the Sheikh Zayed Housing Programme:

• Dwelling Disposal Request

• Government House Ownership Request

• Housing Arrears Assistance Scheduling Request

• Housing Assistance Loan Exemption

• Housing Assistance Request

• Postponing or Reducing Housing Assistance Instalment

• Reconsideration for Housing Assistance Decision

• Request to Issue ‘To Whom It May Concern’ Certificate for Housing Services

• Residential Assistance Cancellation Request

• Updating Housing Assistance Data

• Request for an Emergency Visit to the Residence

If you wish to avail of this particular Dubai housing grant, here are the eligibility criteria:

• You must be a UAE citizen with a family book and an Emirates ID

  • If you have a wife who is not a UAE citizen, you must have children with her to be eligible. Or, you should be married to your spouse for at least seven years. 

• You do not have a suitable place of residence at the time of applying for this grant. Additionally, you have not disposed of an appropriate dwelling owned by you within the past ten years. 

• You have not previously received government housing grants within the past ten years. 

• You do not have the financial means to own a suitable home or complete the house construction. 

• Your income should be over AED 15,000 and less than AED 100,000

The following people can also apply for this grant:

• Senior citizens 

• Orphans 

• People of Determination (special needs)

• Custodial widows and divorcees 

• People with unknown parentage 

• Women married to non-citizens 

Mohammed Bin Rashid Housing Establishment

The Mohammed Bin Rashid Housing Establishment was launched in 2007 - driven explicitly towards UAE citizens in Dubai who require financial assistance to set up their homes. This integrates house improvement grants, plots, and maintenance assistance to people. 

This grant adopts a comprehensive strategy that focuses on data-driven decision-making, financial assistance, and strategic planning to ensure that the system is free of loopholes. 

You can avail help from this house repair grant  and aid in the form of:

• Grants for government houses 

• Grants for residential plots 

• Ready houses that you can move into 

• Maintenance and extension of current houses 

• Housing loans (as per MBHRE policies and standards) 

You can get loans for:

• Constructing a house 

• Applying for a housing unit from the local market 

• Buying a ready-made house owned by the government

• Applying for a housing replacement or ready-made housing loan 

• Applying for housing maintenance and additional loans 

In this grant, you can also avail of complementary services such as:

• Apply for exchange ready house with another ready house

• Change service from a housing purchase loan to a housing construction loan

• Apply for an exchange housing land grant for another housing land grant

• Request for one-year maintenance

• Cancel approved grant/loan application (under consideration)

• Cancel in-progress application (grant/loan)

• Payment of arrears

How To Apply For Housing Grants

If you think you are eligible for either of these Dubai house grants, here is how you can apply for them:

If you want to apply for the Sheikh Zayed Housing Programme online, you can do so from the UAE Ministry of Energy & Infrastructure’s official website. Alternatively, you can visit one of their service centres in Dubai, Fujairah, or Ras Al Khaimah. 

You must showcase your salary slip (if you are employed) and other documents depending on your situation. For example, a woman married to a non-Emirati may be required to provide documents such as:

• Husband’s passport 

• Proof of husband’s monthly income 

• Marriage certificate 

• Copy of children’s passport 

• Certificate of real property and a commercial license issued by the relevant authorities in the Emirates to the husband 

If you wish to apply for the Mohammed Bin Rashid Housing Establishment, you can do so through the following channels:

• The MBRHE website has online application forms and detailed instructions for users. 

• The DubaiNow app also facilitates applications for the house exchange grant. 

• You can visit the MBRHE office in Umm Ramool, Deira. 

• You can download the Iskan app to access and manage all MBRHE services. 

Conclusion 

House grants in Dubai play a pivotal role in empowering UAE citizens by providing them with financial assistance for home acquisition and improvements.

These grants, including house improvement grants and comprehensive home building grants, support the vision of fostering stability and enhancing living conditions for eligible residents. Whether you seek to build, buy, or improve your home, understanding and applying for these grants can unlock significant opportunities and ensure access to quality housing that meets every family’s needs.