FIRST-TIME BUYER DECISION GUIDE · UK
If you expected an English Help to Buy equity loan, the useful question is what that loan would have helped you overcome. Is the obstacle your deposit, the price of a suitable home, the monthly cost, or the time needed to save? Each points to a different option.
Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.
What is stopping you from buying?
These are starting points, not a list of interchangeable schemes. A provider or landlord decides scheme eligibility; a mortgage lender makes a separate lending decision.
“I can afford a home, but my deposit is small”
Compare an ordinary 5% deposit mortgage with any suitable lender product backed by the UK-wide mortgage guarantee. The guarantee is for participating lenders, not a cash contribution or equity stake for you. A 5% deposit mortgage guide can help you weigh rates, monthly payments and buying costs. If you are saving over time, check the conditions of a Lifetime ISA before relying on it for a purchase.
HM Treasury’s current guarantee scheme and HMRC’s home-purchase rules explain the official limits.
“The homes I need cost too much”
In England, a First Home is a qualifying property sold at a discount to an eligible first-time buyer; availability and local criteria matter, and the discount continues on resale. Shared ownership is different: you buy a share and pay rent on the rest, often with service charges. Compare the whole cost and the property you can actually find. Read First Homes eligibility and our shared ownership mortgage guide.
“I need longer to save”
Rent to Buy can offer eligible working households in England a below-market rent while they save for a deposit. It is not a promise that you will own that particular home, and the route differs in London and other UK nations. Check the tenancy and eventual purchase terms before relying on it. GOV.UK explains the English scheme. A deposit plan can also start with our mortgage deposit calculator.
Ask your landlord whether your home and tenancy qualify for Right to Acquire, Right to Buy or another relevant route. These are property and tenant-specific rights, not universal discounts for every housing association or council tenant. The mortgage still has to be affordable and acceptable to a lender. Start with Right to Acquire rules or the English Right to Buy guide as appropriate.
“A relative could help, but I do not want a scheme”
A documented gift, a family savings arrangement or a joint borrower sole proprietor mortgage can address different gaps. They also expose the helper to different risks and obligations. A loan from family is not the same as a gift; tell the adviser and lender how the money is provided. See our gifted deposit guide, family springboard guide and joint borrower sole proprietor guide.
“My rent record is stronger than my savings”
Some lender-specific products use a track record of rent payments as part of their assessment. Availability and criteria can change, and a strong rent record does not cancel out an affordability or credit issue. Read our track-record mortgage guide and ask an adviser whether a current product is suitable for your case.
For a country-by-country comparison of homeownership support, use our existing government mortgage schemes guide. It owns the detailed UK scheme overview; this article helps you decide which route is worth investigating first.
Compare the commitment, not just the starting deposit
A Help to Buy equity loan, a discounted home, a shared ownership lease and a 95% repayment mortgage leave you with different long-term obligations. Before reserving a home or choosing a product, compare these questions:
- Monthly cost: mortgage payment, rent on any unowned share, service charge, insurance and other housing costs.
- Later cost: future interest or rent changes, the cost of buying more shares, and what happens when you sell.
- Cash needed: deposit, reservation or scheme fees, valuation, legal work, survey, moving costs and property transaction tax.
- Eligibility: nation, property, household, income, local connection and lender criteria.
- Flexibility: rules for letting, remortgaging, improving or reselling the home, and any exposure of family savings or property.
A lower deposit is useful only if the full purchase is affordable. Our first-time buyer mortgage service explains how Count Ready assesses the mortgage side; a conveyancer should explain property and scheme legal terms.
Which named routes cannot be applied for now?
The old English Help to Buy equity loan is closed to new applicants. The separate English Help to Build equity loan is also closed to new applications. Neither should be presented as a live alternative for a new English buyer.
In September 2026 the UK Government announced a proposed English equity-loan scheme called Your First Home. It said details would be confirmed at the Budget. An announcement is not an open application route; wait for published rules on timing, eligibility, lender participation and costs. Do not delay a suitable current option because an unconfirmed scheme sounds cheaper.
Help to Buy – Wales remains a distinct current route under its published deadline. Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own ownership support, which our UK schemes guide separates.
What should you do next?
- Write down the obstacle. Note your available deposit, target area and price, monthly payment you can sustain, income pattern and any family help.
- Check the route and the property. Use the official scheme or provider rules for your nation. An attractive headline may not apply to the home you want or your household.
- Compare mortgage illustrations on the same basis. Include rent, service charges, fees and future obligations where relevant. Do not choose on an advertised rate alone.
- Prepare for an individual assessment. Bring an outline of income, commitments and deposit source to the first conversation. Our mortgage documents guide covers what lenders may request later.
Questions about Help to Buy alternatives
Is there a direct replacement for Help to Buy in England?
There is no single current scheme that works exactly like the closed English Help to Buy equity loan. A smaller-deposit mortgage, a discounted home, shared ownership or family support may address a different part of the problem. Check each route’s costs and eligibility separately.
Can I still apply for Help to Buy in Wales?
Help to Buy – Wales remains open under its current published timetable, with applications due by 31 March 2027. Its property, builder, deposit and lender rules are specific to Wales. Check the Welsh Government’s latest eligibility guidance before committing.
Does a 5% deposit mortgage give me a government equity loan?
No. A 95% mortgage means you normally borrow up to 95% of an eligible property’s value or purchase price and provide at least 5% yourself. A government guarantee, where used by a participating lender, protects part of the lender’s risk; it is not an equity loan or cash paid to the buyer.
Is shared ownership cheaper than buying outright?
It may reduce the mortgage and deposit needed at the start, but you also pay rent on the share you do not own and may face service charges, repairs and future share-purchase costs. Compare the full monthly and longer-term cost, not just the initial mortgage payment.
What if I have little deposit but a good rent-payment history?
A lender-specific track-record product or family-assisted arrangement may be worth exploring. Neither is a general entitlement to a 100% mortgage. The lender will still assess income, commitments, credit history and the property, and a family helper may put savings or property at risk.
Discuss the mortgage route with Count Ready
Tell us where you want to buy, your approximate deposit and which of the barriers above applies. We can explain the mortgage options we can advise on, what a lender is likely to ask for, and whether a scheme needs a separate provider decision. We cannot promise a lender or scheme approval.
The initial consultation is free. Fees for further work vary by case; a separate processing fee may apply and is not always charged. We will explain any applicable fee and when it is payable before chargeable work starts. See our Terms of Business and adviser information.
Use the general form for an initial question. Please do not send bank statements, identity documents or account numbers through it; your adviser can explain secure document collection later.
Reviewed 1 October 2026. General information, not a personal mortgage recommendation. Scheme terms, lender products and deadlines can change; recheck the official provider and lender information before applying.
Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.