The Help To Buy scheme allows you to accept an equity loan from the government to help you purchase a new-build property in the UK.
What is Help To Buy?
This loan is interest-free for five years, although the interest rate will increase every year after that.
In England, you can borrow up to 20% of the property’s value to put towards your mortgage deposit. With this assistance, you’ll only have to stump up at least 5% of the property’s value yourself (these figures differ in London, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland).
Help To Buy not only makes it easier for mortgage applicants to save for a mortgage deposit, it also helps to reduce their monthly mortgage payments. After all, their mortgage will only be worth 75% of the property’s value at the very most.
It has proved to be an incredibly popular scheme, with hundreds of thousands of loans having been granted since it launched in April 2013.
Who qualifies for Help To Buy?
Right now, anyone can apply for a Help To Buy equity loan provided they’re eligible for a mortgage and are deemed to be able to afford the repayments. However, from April 2021, this scheme will be available to first-time buyers only.
There are only specific types of properties that are participating in the Help To Buy scheme. These are new-build properties worth up to £600,000 in England, £300,000 in Wales or £200,000 in Scotland.
To discover participating properties in your area, you’ll need to contact your local Help To Buy agent.
You’ll have to use the property as your main residence in order to qualify for a Help To Buy equity loan.
How much can I borrow?
Right now, you can borrow up to 40% of your property’s value in London, 20% in the rest of England and Wales or 15% in Scotland.
However, from April 2021, the amount you can borrow in England will be regionally capped. You’ll only be able to borrow 1.5 times the Autumn 2018 regional average first-time buyer price forecast.
These price caps are detailed below:
North East
£186,100
North West
£224,400
Yorkshire & The Humber
£228,100
East Midlands
£261,900
West Midlands
£255,600
East of England
£407,400
London
£600,000
South East
£437,600
South West
£349,000
How much interest will I pay on Help To Buy equity loans?
You’ll pay no interest on Help To Buy equity loans for the first five years.
In the sixth year of the loan, you’ll pay interest at a rate of 1.75%.
Each year, this rate will be multiplied by the Retail Price Index (RPI) inflation figure plus 1%.
Example: If in the seventh year of your loan, the RPI figure was 5%, your interest rate would increase by 6%. As 1.75 x 1.06 = 1.855, your interest rate for the upcoming year would be 1.855%.
Since the rate will continue to increase faster than inflation every following year, it is in your best interests to pay it off as soon as possible.
Shared Ownership
Shared Ownership is another government scheme that makes it more affordable to buy a home. Technically, it falls under the Help To Buy umbrella, although it works completely differently to the equity loan scheme.
With this scheme, you can buy between 25% and 75% of a home and pay subsidised rent to a housing association on the remainder. When you can afford to buy a further portion of the home, you are free to do so.
This scheme is available to first-time buyers and existing shared ownership participants only. You can learn more about how it works in our full guide.
Help To Buy mortgages vs traditional 95% mortgages
There is a wide range of mortgage lenders offering traditional 95% mortgages. That means it’s possible to buy properties with a 5% deposit, without using Help To Buy.
So, which option is better?
The key differences between these two options are highlighted below:
Help To Buy mortgage
You’ll be making mortgage repayments on a smaller percentage of the property. This means your monthly repayments will be lower and you may even be offered a better interest rate.
However, after five years, you’ll begin paying interest on your equity loan and the rate will increase significantly every year.
Until the loan is repaid, the government will own a stake in your home, meaning you benefit less from the value of your property rising.
Help To Buy is only available on participating new-build properties.
Traditional 95% mortgage
You’ll be making mortgage repayments on a loan worth 95% of the property value. You’ll pay more each month than with a Help To Buy mortgage.
However, you don’t have to worry about repaying an equity loan with an ever-increasing interest rate to the government.
You’ll own 100% of your home, meaning you fully benefit from your property value rising.
You’re free to purchase any type of property worth any value, as long as you’re deemed to be able to afford it.
Frequently asked questions about Help To Buy
Yes, Help To Buy is scheduled to end on 31 March 2023.
However, from 1 April 2021, Help To Buy will only be made available to first-time buyers and the amount you can borrow will be regionally capped.
You’ll only be made to repay the loan in full at the end of your mortgage term or if you sell your property. However, the interest rate on your loan will increase every year from year six onwards, so it’s in your best interests to repay it as soon as possible.
This a tax-free savings account, which the government will top up when the savings are used to buy a property. It is no longer possible to open a new Help To Buy Isa, but you can read our guide to learn more about how it works.
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Matthew Boyle is a banking and mortgages publisher at Finder. He has a 7-year history of publishing helpful guides to assist consumers in making better decisions. In his spare time, you will find him walking in the Norfolk countryside admiring the local wildlife. See full bio
Matthew's expertise
Matthew has written 285 Finder guides across topics including:
Helping first-time buyers apply for a mortgage
Comparing bank accounts and highlighting useful features
How do property prices in the UK compare to the rest of the world? We estimated the cost of a city centre 2-bed flat in 106 countries to find out.
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