All About Iskan Abu Dhabi Housing Grant

• More About Iskan Abu Dhabi Housing Grant
• General Eligibility
• Additional Requirements
• Terms and Conditions
• FAQs

The housing grant in Abu Dhabi is provided by the government, enabling eligible UAE nationals to obtain ready-built or under-construction homes free of charge. The Abu Dhabi Housing Authority (ADHA) oversees all such housing assistance programmes, accessible via the Iskan platform.

What Is the Iskan Abu Dhabi Housing Grant?

The Abu Dhabi Housing Grant allows eligible UAE nationals to receive a housing unit without payment. The housing may be either ready-built or under construction and is provided as a public housing benefit as per the ADHA.

Applicants must meet a set of general conditions as well as category-specific requirements depending on their social status.

Eligibility Requirements for Housing Grant in Abu Dhabi

To qualify for a housing grant, the applicant must:

• Be a UAE national.
• Be a permanent resident of the UAE.
• Be the family’s breadwinner.
• Be over 45 years of age.
• Have limited income.
• Apply individually as a sole applicant.

Additionally, neither the applicant nor their spouse should have previously benefited from:

• A housing grant from any federal or local government entity.
• Housing financed through a government housing purchase loan.
• A housing construction loan.
• A demolition and reconstruction loan.

Exceptions apply to housing benefits received by a wife before marriage and inheritance shares in residential land or housing.

Additional Undertakings Required for Iskan Abu Dhabi Housing Support

Applicants are required to provide certain undertakings, including:

• Assigning their share if they previously benefited from a joint residential plot grant, joint housing grant or housing financed through a joint housing purchase loan.
• Transferring any unbuilt residential plot previously granted to them to the Abu Dhabi Housing Authority or a designated entity if they benefited from a residential land grant and an inactive construction loan.
• Cancelling any existing housing construction loan, where applicable.
• Agreeing not to apply for additional housing grants, residential plot grants or housing loans from the Abu Dhabi Housing Authority unless the lifespan of the granted housing has expired or in cases permitted under applicable legislation.

Housing Grant Eligibility for Male Applicants

To qualify for the Abu Dhabi government housing grant, male applicants must:

• Be over 45 years old.
• Be a breadwinner.

Married male applicants are exempt from the age requirement.

Housing Grant Eligibility for Widows

To qualify for the Abu Dhabi Housing Programme grant, widowed applicants must:

• Be over 45 years old.
• Be the custodian or provider of one or more children.
• (Not applicable to widows unable to bear children due to old age or any other medical reason certified by the UAE-recognised medical authority.)
• Not own suitable housing.

If the deceased husband was a non-UAE national, the applicant must have continuously resided in the UAE for at least five consecutive years before submitting the application.

Housing Grant Eligibility for Unmarried Female UAE Nationals

Housing grant eligibility in Abu Dhabi for unmarried female applicants includes:

• Be over 45 years old.
• Not have a breadwinner, or have a breadwinner who is permanently unable to provide housing.
• Be in a situation where the breadwinner cannot be legally obligated to provide housing.
• Be providing housing to relatives up to the second degree.
• Not own suitable housing.

Housing Grant Eligibility for Divorcées

To qualify for these housing benefits in Abu Dhabi, divorced applicants must:

• Be over 45 years old.
• Have been irrevocably divorced through major separation or divorced for at least three years.
• Be the custodian or provider of one or more children.
• Not own suitable housing.

The child requirement is waived for elderly divorcées or those unable to bear children, subject to a medical report.

Women divorced from non-UAE nationals must have continuously resided in the UAE for at least five consecutive years before applying.

Housing Grant Eligibility for UAE Women Married to Non-UAE Nationals

Female UAE nationals married to non-UAE nationals must:

• Be over 45 years old.
• Have one or more children living with them.
• Not own suitable housing.
• Prove continuous residence in the UAE with their husband and children for at least seven consecutive years before application.
• Demonstrate that the children’s father is unable to provide suitable housing.

The husband must also agree not to claim or apply for another housing grant if he later acquires UAE citizenship.

The child requirement does not apply to elderly women or women unable to bear children, subject to a medical report.

Terms and Conditions for Housing Grant Beneficiaries

Housing granted under the programme is registered as a grant and is subject to public housing regulations. Key conditions include:

• The property cannot be mortgaged in favour of the Abu Dhabi Housing Authority.
• Beneficiaries must move into the housing within six months from the allocation approval date.
• Beneficiaries must continue occupying the housing unless prevented by circumstances beyond their control.
• The Abu Dhabi Housing Authority may cancel the housing grant approval if the beneficiary fails to occupy the property within the specified period or does not continue residing in it without a valid emergency reason.
• If approval is cancelled, the citizen can submit a new housing grant application two years after the cancellation decision.

FAQs

What is the Iskan Abu Dhabi Housing Grant?

The Iskan Abu Dhabi Housing Grant enables eligible UAE nationals with limited income to receive a ready-built or under-construction home free of charge.

Who is eligible for the Iskan Abu Dhabi Housing Grant?

UAE nationals who are permanent UAE residents, breadwinners, have limited income and meet the category-specific eligibility requirements set by the Abu Dhabi Housing Authority.

How can I apply for an Abu Dhabi Housing Grant?

Eligible applicants can apply through the Iskan Abu Dhabi app, the official digital platform for Abu Dhabi Housing Authority housing services.

This is everything you need to know about the Iskan Abu Dhabi Housing Grant. While these are government-provided benefits, real estate buyers can also avail themselves of other financial options. There are choices like home financing and mortgages that make buying property in Abu Dhabi more accessible. 

For more information on homeownership programmes in Abu Dhabi, stay tuned to UAE’s leading property blog.