The Help to Buy (HTB) scheme was introduced by the government as a way of allowing first-time buyers of new build properties to borrow up to 20% of the property’s value in England or 40% of the property’s value in London. The loan is directly paid from the government and the capital is paid back when the property is sold or you are able to re mortgage to raise funds to repay the HTB loan.
Help to Buy - England
The HTB Equity Loan scheme is available for new build properties with a purchase price of up to £600,000 in England. The government will lend up to 20% of the cost of a brand new residential property, meaning that only a 5% deposit is required alongside a 75% mortgage from a lender who provides products for the help to buy scheme.
The government loan is interest-free for the first five years from completion, after which there are costs to consider. From year 6, there is a fee of 1.75%, then RPI plus 1% per annum.
Help to Buy ‐ London
The scheme offers a higher government contribution for homes in London. The Government introduced a London-only version of Help to Buy in February 2016, available across all Greater London Boroughs. Again, 5% personal deposit is required with the Government providing a HTB loan of 40% - the scheme works the same as the nationwide scheme.
With Help to Buy ‐ London, there are no loan fees charged on the 40% loan for the first five years of purchasing the property, apart from a nominal monthly £1 per month fee.
HTB Equity Loan and HTB London ‐ who can apply?
The Help to Buy scheme is available to first-time buyers or homeowners who want to sell their existing property and move, but would like to buy a brand new home with a purchase price of up to £600,000. You are only able to have one property in your name on completion.
Mortgage Affordability
Although the scheme requires a minimum deposit of 5%, you would still need to meet the affordability calculations for both the mortgage lender and Help To Buy.
It is advisable to speak with a mortgage broker before you start to look at properties, to understand how the scheme works and what options you have based on your circumstances and affordability. This saves you time later down the line and you know what your budget is for the property.