First Homes England Scheme

How does the First Homes England Scheme work?

You can get big discounts on house prices of between 30% and 50% (compared to the market price set by an independent valuer). Once the discount has been applied to a property, it will be passed on when the property is sold, so that future first-time buyers can also benefit from the scheme.

You’ll need to have at least 5% of the discounted price available to put down as a deposit, and a mortgage in place for at least 50% of the discounted price.

Visit the government website to see if you’re eligible and how to apply for a property through the First Homes scheme.

Who is eligible for the First Homes England Scheme?

National criteria (everyone must meet this):

• all applicants must be first-time buyers
• your household income must not exceed £90,000 if you’re in London or £80,000 if you’re outside London
• you’ll need to have a mortgage (or home purchase plan) in place for at least 50% of the discounted purchase value.

Local authorities can also apply their own criteria:

• they may set a lower income cap if they can prove it’s needed
• they might apply a local connection test based on residency, employment in the local area or a family connection. Serving members of the armed forces, recent veterans and their families will be exempt from local connection tests
• they might want to prioritise key workers for the scheme.

How we can help you

If you’re eligible for First Homes, we could recommend a suitable mortgage from our range. This includes first-time buyer mortgages, that only require a 5% deposit. We’re also here to answer your questions about First Homes, or the other affordable housing initiatives we support.