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COVID-19 UPDATE: We are still open and operating safely for buyers, sellers, renters and landlords. Find out more
COVID-19 UPDATE: We are still open and operating safely for buyers, sellers, renters and landlords. Find out more
Help to Buy: Equity Loan (2021-2023)
Help to Buy is a government scheme designed to help first time buyers who have never owned a property before to advance up the property ladder.
Who is eligible?
Help to Buy: Equity Loan (2021-2023) are available to first time buyers. The home you want to buy must be newly built with a price of up to £407,400 for the East of England (see the Help to Buy site for more regional caps)
How does it work?
With a Help to Buy equity loan the Government lends you up to 20% of the cost of your newly built home, so you’ll only need a 5% cash deposit and a 75% mortgage to make up the rest.
You must buy your home from a homebuilder registered for Help to Buy: Equity Loan.
The amount you pay for a home depends on where in England you buy it.
When getting a mortgage you will be able to borrow up to a maximum of 4.5 times your salary.
Help to Buy Equity Loan example
| For a property worth £400,000 | Amount | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Cash deposit | £20,000 | 5% |
| Equity loan | £80,000 | 20% |
| Your mortgage | £300,000 | 75% |
How do I pay back the Help to Buy equity loan?
You must pay back the loan after 25 years or when you sell your home - whichever comes first.
You will not be charged any interest on the 20% loan for the first five years of owning your home.
However a management fee of £1 a month will be applicable from the date of purchase for the duration of the equity loan.
From year six, a fee of 1.75% is payable on the equity loan, which rises annually by CPI (Consumer Price Index) inflation plus 2%.
For full information about the scheme, please visit helptobuy.gov.uk