Shared Ownership lets you buy a share of a property, typically between 10% and 75% of its value, and pay rent on the remaining share owned by a housing association. You only need a deposit and mortgage for the share you're buying, which can make getting on the ladder more achievable if a full purchase is out of reach right now.

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Over time, you can buy additional shares in the property through a process called staircasing, and in many cases you can eventually own the property outright.

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Shared Ownership is available on both new build homes and resale properties through housing associations, eligibility is based on your household income.

The First Homes scheme offers eligible first time buyers the opportunity to purchase a new build home at a discount of at least 30% below its full market value. In some areas, local authorities set a higher discount of up to 50%.

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A few things to know about First Homes:

• Available to first time buyers in England only

• Household income must be below £80,000 (or £90,000 in London)

• The property must be a new build

• Local authorities may set additional eligibility criteria, such as prioritising key workers or people with a local connection to the area

• When you come to sell, the discount passes to the next buyer. The property remains part of the scheme permanently

The Mortgage Guarantee Scheme is a government-backed initiative that enables lenders to offer mortgages to buyers with a 5% deposit or less on properties up to £600,000. It became a permanent scheme in July 2025.

It works in the background. You don't apply to the scheme directly. Instead, you apply for a standard 95% mortgage with a participating lender, and the scheme provides the lender with a government guarantee on the higher-risk portion of the loan.

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It's available to both first time buyers and existing homeowners, and is not restricted to new build properties. Whether using this route makes sense for you depends on your deposit, income, and the property you're looking at. We'll compare what's available across lenders to find the right fit.