In England, the published shared-ownership household-income ceiling is £80,000 a year outside London and £90,000 a year in London. That figure is only an initial screen. You must also show that you cannot afford all the deposit and mortgage payments for a suitable home on the open market, meet the scheme’s applicant conditions and pass the housing provider’s affordability assessment.
This guide shows how to check your position, whose income may count, what differs in London, which specialist routes may apply and what to ask before you apply. The figures are from GOV.UK guidance checked on 13 October 2026; the reviewed guidance does not state when these limits took effect.
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The income limits at a glance
| Property location | Published household-income ceiling | Main source and scope |
|---|---|---|
| Outside London, England | £80,000 a year or less | GOV.UK shared-ownership eligibility guidance; detailed income rules for Homes England grant-funded homes are in its Capital Funding Guide. |
| London | £90,000 a year or less | GOV.UK shared-ownership eligibility guidance and the Greater London Authority shared-ownership guidance. |
These are gross household-income thresholds, not a promise that a buyer will be accepted. A household under the relevant ceiling can still fail the affordability test, lack a required local connection or fall outside the circumstances accepted for a particular property.
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What the £80,000 or £90,000 figure actually tests
The national eligibility page says household income must be no more than £80,000 outside London or £90,000 in London. It separately says that “you cannot afford all of the deposit and mortgage payments for a home that meets your needs”. The two tests work together:
- Income ceiling: your relevant gross household income must be at or below the limit for the property’s location.
- Housing need and affordability: you must be unable to buy a suitable home outright with the deposit and mortgage you could reasonably obtain.
- Other eligibility conditions: you must fit an accepted applicant category and satisfy any property-specific conditions, such as a local connection.
Consequently, being below the limit is necessary for many homes but is not automatic approval. A provider makes the eligibility decision after considering the specific home and your circumstances.
How to check your position step by step
1. Identify the property’s jurisdiction
Start with the address, not your current home. A property in Greater London uses the £90,000 ceiling; a property elsewhere in England uses the £80,000 ceiling published by GOV.UK. The detailed Homes England Capital Funding Guide applies to Homes England grant-funded shared-ownership schemes outside London. London has separate Greater London Authority guidance, so ask the provider which rules govern the particular development.
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The cited guidance is for England. A scheme elsewhere in the UK can have different rules and should not be assessed using these figures.
2. Build a gross household-income total
For a Homes England grant-funded home outside London, do not simply add the salaries of the people named on the application. Homes England states: “This assessment should be based on the income of all members of the household whether they have joined the application or not.” The relevant household can therefore include people who will live in the home but are not applicants.
Prepare a list of everyone who is expected to live there and record each person’s gross annual income before tax and other deductions. Ask the provider how it treats each person before relying on your own total, because the guide identifies exceptions and the provider applies the assessment to the individual property.
3. Check possible household-member exceptions
Homes England’s outside-London grant-funded guidance discusses circumstances in which a person may not be treated as a relevant income contributor. Examples include:
- children under 18;
- full-time students; and
- someone who is unlikely to live in the property permanently.
The same guidance discusses payments that may be considered for exclusion, including specified disability benefits, fostering allowance or adoption pay, and child maintenance. It says child benefit should be included. These are not blanket rules for every shared-ownership home: confirm the treatment of each payment and household member with the provider, particularly where someone has a temporary living arrangement, studies full time or receives several benefits.
4. Check that your circumstances fit an accepted applicant category
The GOV.UK eligibility guidance lists several routes into shared ownership. You may be considered if you are:
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- a first-time buyer;
- someone who owned a home before but cannot afford to buy one now;
- forming a new household;
- an existing shared owner who wants to move; or
- a current homeowner who cannot afford a suitable replacement home.
A particular development can add a local-connection requirement or other allocation condition. Read the listing and ask the provider whether you must live, work or have another qualifying connection in the area.
5. Test whether the open market is affordable
The income ceiling does not replace a full affordability review. A mortgage or financial adviser examines income and outgoings and estimates what mortgage and deposit you could support. The question is whether you can afford the whole deposit and mortgage for a suitable home, not whether you can afford a particular shared-ownership share.
For a Homes England grant-funded property, the provider assesses eligibility and affordability for the home being offered. An adviser can help estimate an affordable share, but cannot approve you for the scheme. Keep these roles distinct:
- Mortgage or financial adviser: reviews income, debts, regular spending and borrowing capacity, then estimates an affordable mortgage and share.
- Housing provider: decides whether you meet the scheme and property’s eligibility and affordability requirements.
- Solicitor or licensed conveyancer: handles the legal transfer and reviews the lease if you proceed.
Do not assume that an existing mortgage agreement in principle proves shared-ownership eligibility. The provider still has to apply its own assessment and the property’s conditions.
6. Consider a specialist route only if it matches your circumstances
Two specialist schemes are relevant to some applicants, but neither is an automatic alternative to the ordinary checks.
Older Persons Shared Ownership (OPSO)
GOV.UK says people aged 55 or over may be able to buy through Older Persons Shared Ownership (OPSO), with the national eligibility page describing a maximum share of up to 75%. Homes England’s OPSO guidance sets its own scheme conditions and says the share available depends on the applicant’s circumstances. Check that the property is offered under OPSO, that you meet its age and other conditions, and what maximum share the provider will permit.
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HOLD is intended for people with a long-term disability where suitable shared-ownership homes are unavailable or unsuitable. It is a specialist route, not a way to bypass the income, affordability or property requirements. Ask whether a suitable standard shared-ownership home has been considered and whether the HOLD route is appropriate for your needs.
Comparing the tests and routes
| Question | What to compare | Who confirms it |
|---|---|---|
| Which income ceiling applies? | £80,000 outside London or £90,000 in London, based on the property’s location. | The provider, using the applicable GOV.UK, Homes England or GLA rules. |
| Whose income is counted? | For Homes England grant-funded homes outside London, relevant household members generally count even if they are not applicants, subject to stated exceptions. | The provider applies the household-member and payment rules. |
| Can you afford an ordinary home? | Your deposit, borrowing capacity, debts and outgoings are considered against a suitable open-market home. | A mortgage or financial adviser assesses affordability; the provider makes the scheme decision. |
| Could a specialist route help? | OPSO may be relevant from age 55; HOLD may be relevant where disability makes standard homes unavailable or unsuitable. | The provider confirms whether the property and your circumstances fit the route. |
This comparison matters because passing one column does not replace the others. London’s higher published ceiling does not remove the affordability or applicant-category tests, and an OPSO or HOLD enquiry still needs a provider’s decision.
How to calculate the income figure you should discuss
Use a worksheet before contacting a provider. It should show:
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- the property address and whether it is in London;
- every person who is expected to live there;
- each person’s gross annual employment or self-employment income;
- pensions and other regular income;
- benefits and payments, clearly labelled so the provider can decide whether any stated exclusion applies; and
- which people are under 18, full-time students or unlikely to live there permanently.
Add the figures the provider confirms are relevant, then compare that total with £80,000 or £90,000. Do not net off income tax, National Insurance, pension deductions or ordinary spending unless the provider’s form specifically instructs you to do so; the published ceiling is expressed as gross household income.
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Keep evidence such as payslips, accounts for self-employment, benefit letters and proof of household composition. The provider may request different documents, so use its checklist rather than assuming a standard pack.
If a household member has more than one income source, list each source separately instead of combining it into an unexplained total. Mark payments whose treatment is uncertain and ask the provider to confirm whether they are included. This creates a clear trail showing how you reached the figure and prevents an apparently under-limit total from being rejected because an item was omitted.
Why income alone cannot tell you the affordable share
Shared ownership reduces the initial purchase price because you buy a share and pay rent on the remaining equity, but you still need to demonstrate that the resulting commitments are sustainable. The adviser and provider may examine:
- deposit available for the share;
- mortgage payment at the proposed borrowing level;
- rent on the unsold share and any service or estate charges;
- existing loans, credit commitments and dependent-related costs;
- regular household spending; and
- the property’s price and lease terms.
The exact affordability outcome depends on the property and your finances. Two households with the same gross income can receive different decisions because their deposits, debts, household size and monthly commitments differ.
Ask for the figures used in the assessment, including the proposed share, mortgage amount, rent and charges. A share that appears affordable from income alone may not be affordable once the lease-related payments and existing commitments are included. Conversely, a household below the ceiling still has to show why buying a suitable home outright is not affordable.
What to ask the housing provider before applying
Send concise, property-specific questions rather than relying on a general calculator. Ask:
- Which income ceiling applies to this address, and is it a Homes England grant-funded home, a London scheme or another programme?
- Whose income will you count, including adults who will live there but will not be applicants?
- How will you treat a full-time student, a child, a non-permanent household member or someone receiving benefits?
- Will child benefit, child maintenance, fostering allowance, adoption pay or disability benefits be included or excluded in this assessment?
- Does the home have a local-connection or other allocation requirement?
- What deposit, mortgage, rent and service-charge figures must be used in the affordability assessment?
- Which documents and dates do you require to verify income?
- Is the home available under OPSO or HOLD, and what additional conditions apply?
Request the answer in writing where your circumstances are unusual. The provider can confirm how the rules apply to its property; a general national page cannot resolve every household-member or payment question.
An example application sequence for tenants using the Right to Shared Ownership route
The GOV.UK Right to Shared Ownership application guidance describes tenants applying to buy a share of their rented home. It is an example of one route, not a universal timetable for every shared-ownership purchase.
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- Check that the tenant and home meet the Right to Shared Ownership conditions.
- Apply through the relevant landlord or provider.
- Have a mortgage or financial adviser check income and outgoings and estimate the affordable share.
- Proceed to valuation if the application advances.
- Use a solicitor or licensed conveyancer for the legal transfer and lease review.
For a newly marketed shared-ownership home, the provider may use a different application sequence. Follow that provider’s instructions while keeping the same distinction between income screening, affordability and formal eligibility.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Common mistakes that cause confusion
“I earn less than £80,000, so I qualify.”
Not necessarily. The ceiling is only one condition. You also need the required applicant circumstances, must be unable to afford a suitable home outright and must pass the provider’s assessment.
“Only the applicants’ wages count.”
For Homes England grant-funded homes outside London, relevant household members generally count whether or not they joined the application. Ask the provider to classify each household member before calculating the total.
“The same income rules apply everywhere.”
London uses a £90,000 ceiling and separate GLA guidance. Homes England’s detailed Capital Funding Guide covers its grant-funded schemes outside London. A provider can tell you which programme and rules govern the address.
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The Homes England guidance discusses specific possible exclusions and says child benefit should be included. Do not remove a payment without confirming its treatment for the property.
“A mortgage adviser makes the final decision.”
An adviser estimates borrowing and an affordable share. The housing provider decides scheme and property eligibility.
“A shared owner can always move to any other shared-ownership home.”
Existing shared owners are listed as a possible applicant category, but the new home can have its own affordability, allocation and local-connection conditions.
“A national calculator settles an unusual case.”
It cannot decide how a provider will classify a non-permanent resident, a student or a particular benefit. Send the details to the provider and keep its written response with your application papers.
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What a sensible decision looks like
You have a credible preliminary case when the property is in the correct jurisdiction, your provider-confirmed gross household income is within the applicable ceiling, you fit an accepted applicant category, no local-connection rule disqualifies you, and an adviser’s review indicates that the deposit and ongoing costs of a suitable home cannot be met on the open market. Only the provider can turn that preliminary case into an eligibility decision.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Does my household income qualify for shared ownership?
It may pass the first screen if relevant gross household income is £80,000 or less outside London or £90,000 or less in London. You must still meet an accepted applicant circumstance, show that you cannot afford a suitable home outright and pass the provider’s assessment.
Does London have a different income limit?
Yes. The published ceiling is £90,000 a year for a property in London, compared with £80,000 elsewhere in England. London uses Greater London Authority guidance, so ask the provider which programme governs the address.
Whose income counts for shared ownership?
For Homes England grant-funded homes outside London, the assessment generally uses income from all relevant household members, whether or not they joined the application. Children under 18, full-time students and people unlikely to live there permanently may be treated differently. Confirm each case with the provider.
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Homes England guidance discusses possible exclusions for specified disability benefits, fostering allowance, adoption pay and child maintenance, while saying child benefit should be included. Do not assume another payment is excluded without asking the provider.
Can a first-time buyer apply if income is below the limit?
Being a first-time buyer is one listed applicant circumstance, but it is not the only test. You must also meet the income, open-market affordability and property-specific requirements.
Who decides whether I am eligible?
A mortgage or financial adviser reviews income and outgoings and can estimate an affordable share. The housing provider decides scheme and property eligibility and affordability.
Can someone aged 55 or over use OPSO?
Possibly. GOV.UK describes OPSO for people aged 55 or over and refers to buying up to a 75% share, but Homes England sets scheme conditions and says the available share depends on circumstances. The provider must confirm the property and your eligibility.
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What is HOLD and does it remove the normal checks?
HOLD is for people with a long-term disability where suitable shared-ownership homes are unavailable or unsuitable. It is not a waiver of income, affordability or property requirements; ask the provider whether the route fits your needs.
Is Right to Shared Ownership the process for every purchase?
No. Its GOV.UK application sequence is for tenants buying a share of their rented home. Other shared-ownership homes can have a different process, so follow the relevant provider’s instructions.
The Bottom Line
Use £80,000 outside London and £90,000 in London as the first screen, not as an approval promise. Count the household income the applicable provider rules require, check your applicant category and any local connection, then have an adviser test the deposit and ongoing costs against a suitable home. The housing provider has the final say.
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