There is no single UK-wide replacement for Help to Buy. The right route depends first on which UK nation you live in, then on why you do not qualify: in England, look at First Homes or shared ownership; in Scotland, check the First Homes Fund and LIFT shared-equity schemes. A Lifetime ISA can boost eligible savings, but it does not make you eligible for a home-buying scheme. Wales and Northern Ireland have different rules, so do not assume English criteria apply there.
Start with your nation and the reason you do not qualify
Before comparing schemes, identify the rule that blocks you: it might be your location, household or income circumstances, the property, or a scheme’s local availability. These routes are not interchangeable, and some depend on a specific home or provider being part of the scheme. A scheme that exists nationally may not have a suitable property or open application route where you want to buy.
The UK government’s affordable home ownership hub signposts options and notes that buying rules differ across the nations. Use the relevant devolved government or local provider’s current guidance to confirm eligibility, application status and property availability before you make an offer or set a budget.
Which routes are worth checking?
| Route | Where | How it works | Key point to check |
|---|---|---|---|
| First Homes | England | Buy an eligible home at a discount from market value. | The property must be offered through the scheme; local criteria can apply. |
| Shared ownership | England; also described in Scottish guidance, with different terms | Buy a share and pay rent or an occupancy charge on the part retained by the landlord or housing association. | Compare the total monthly cost and the lease or occupancy terms, not just the deposit. |
| Right to Shared Ownership | England | Some tenants may be able to buy a share of the home they rent. | Eligibility depends on both the tenancy and property. |
| First Homes Fund and LIFT shared-equity routes | Scotland | Government support contributes toward a purchase in return for an equity stake, subject to scheme terms. | Check which scheme fits, local eligibility and current availability. |
| Lifetime ISA | UK savings product | Add a government bonus to eligible savings used toward a first home. | It has separate account, property, timing and withdrawal rules; it is not an ownership scheme. |
| Welsh and Northern Irish options | Wales and Northern Ireland | Options are signposted through government and local guidance. | Check the relevant nation’s current details; English price caps and eligibility rules should not be carried across. |
England: discounted purchase or shared ownership
First Homes: buy the eligible home at a discount
First Homes is an England scheme for eligible first-time buyers. Under the national guidance, the minimum discount is 30% from market value. The maximum first-sale price after discount is £250,000, or £420,000 in Greater London; a local council may set a lower cap or additional local criteria. These are national limits, not a promise that a particular home is available at that price.
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The home must actually be offered through First Homes: the discount does not apply to any property a buyer chooses. The mortgage or home purchase plan must cover at least half of the discounted purchase price. Buyers apply through the developer or estate agent and local council, so ask about local income or priority rules and available homes before relying on the discount in a budget.
Shared ownership: buy a share and pay for the rest
In England, shared ownership means buying a share of a home and paying rent on the share retained by the landlord. The government guidance describes shares from 10% to 75%, although the share available depends on the property. The initial deposit is usually 5% to 10% of the share being bought, rather than of the full property price.
The smaller initial share does not tell you the full monthly cost. Add the mortgage payment, rent and any service charges, and read the lease for its terms and costs. You may be able to buy further shares later through staircasing, which reduces the landlord’s share and the rent due on it. Shared-ownership homes can be new-build or resale; check the specific home’s offer and lease rather than assuming every home has the same terms.
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Right to Shared Ownership: ask about the home you rent
This is a separate England-only route for some tenants to buy a share of their rented home. Whether it applies depends on the home and tenancy conditions, including the property’s funding history. Check the official eligibility conditions for the specific home before treating it as an option. It is not a route available in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.
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Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallScotland: check the current First Homes Fund and LIFT routes
The Scottish Government’s buyer guidance lists the First Homes Fund, Open Market Shared Equity (OMSE), New Supply Shared Equity (NSSE) and shared ownership. Help to Buy (Scotland) and the earlier First Home Fund are closed and will not reopen. The 2026 First Homes Fund is a different, new scheme despite the similar name of the former fund.
First Homes Fund
The 2026 Scottish First Homes Fund is a shared-equity scheme for first-time buyers. Scottish Government guidance says it can contribute up to £10,000 toward a qualifying home priced up to £300,000. The published overview says the government equity stake has no monthly payment or interest; it is dealt with under the equity agreement, normally on sale or another specified payment event.
Eligibility includes having a qualifying repayment mortgage and using the property as your main and only home in Scotland. Check the current lender list and application details: they have been updated during 2026.
OMSE and NSSE
OMSE is for eligible buyers who cannot afford the full price of a suitable open-market home; the government holds the remaining equity stake. NSSE supports eligible buyers purchasing a new home from a council or housing association. Scottish guidance describes buyer contributions of roughly 60%–90% for OMSE and 60%–80% for NSSE. These ranges are not a guaranteed share for an individual buyer: local thresholds and priority rules apply, and NSSE is aimed at buyers who can show they cannot buy a suitable new-build home without help.
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Check the relevant local threshold, priority group and whether applications are currently open. The Scottish Government says its LIFT shared-equity schemes have helped over 12,000 people since 2007; it identifies that figure as management information, not Official Statistics or National Statistics.
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Scottish shared ownership
Scottish guidance describes shared ownership as buying 25%, 50% or 75% of a home and paying an occupancy charge to the housing association on the remainder. Confirm local availability and current terms. Shared ownership is not the same as shared equity: the ownership arrangement and ongoing charges differ.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Use a Lifetime ISA only if its separate rules fit
A Lifetime ISA (LISA) can add a government bonus to savings for a first home; it does not provide a home or relax another scheme’s eligibility rules. You must make your first payment before age 40. You can contribute up to £4,000 per year until age 50, with a 25% bonus of up to £1,000 per year.
For a first-home withdrawal, the property must cost no more than £450,000, the purchase must be at least 12 months after your first payment, and the funds must be used through a conveyancer or solicitor for a mortgage-backed purchase. An unauthorised withdrawal generally incurs a 25% charge. Two eligible first-time buyers buying together may each use a LISA, if each meets the conditions.
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Do not plan on opening a Help to Buy ISA
Help to Buy ISAs are closed to new savers. Existing account holders can contribute until November 2029 and claim the bonus until November 2030 if the purchase meets the scheme rules. The official guidance caps the 25% top-up at £3,000.
HM Treasury consulted in June 2026 on a proposed First Time Buyer ISA to replace the LISA with a simpler product. That consultation closed on 18 August 2026; a consultation is not evidence that a replacement account is available. Check for a government launch announcement before making plans around a new account.
Wales and Northern Ireland: use nation-specific guidance
The UK government hub identifies shared ownership as a UK-wide route and signposts Welsh new-build support and self-build loans. The detailed current Welsh eligibility, price limits and application mechanics are not established in the available guidance for this article. For Northern Ireland, current detailed shared-ownership eligibility and other relevant first-time-buyer criteria are likewise not established here. Follow the relevant devolved or local official guidance and do not import England’s thresholds or terms.
Compare the full cost and the terms before choosing
A lower deposit or an equity contribution does not by itself make a home affordable. For each specific property or route, check these points before committing:
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Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →- Eligibility and availability: nation, local criteria, household or priority rules, open application status and whether the property is actually included.
- Purchase structure: whether you own the whole discounted home, buy a share and pay rent, or receive help in exchange for an equity stake.
- Monthly and upfront costs: mortgage, rent or occupancy charge, service charges, deposit, tax, conveyancing, searches, survey, moving costs and likely repairs.
- Future obligations: lease terms, staircasing costs, how an equity stake is handled on sale or another payment event, and any resale conditions.
- Mortgage and timing: whether the route requires a particular mortgage type or lender, and how long approvals and applications may take.
Ask the scheme provider or local authority for the current written terms for the home you are considering. Compare the combined monthly housing cost and the future payment or resale rules, not only the initial deposit.
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