Shared Ownership

If you can't afford to buy a home without help priority must go to the following groups in the first instance, set in priority order.

Social tenants and MOD personnel have equal first priority followed by other LA priorities
First time buyers.

After these priority groups have been exhausted other first time buyers who fit all other criteria can apply and purchase through the HomeBuy initiatives.

See the eligibility guidelines page for more information applyonline/eligibility

How does it work?

Flats or houses are sold with Government backing on a shared ownership, leasehold basis, where you own some of the property and the landlord owns the other part. Initially, the minimum share you can buy is 25% and the maximum is 75% The share will be determined by the landlord and by the amount you are able to buy. Your estimated affordable mortgage limit will be calculated and we will let you know what this is when you apply.

You will need to arrange a mortgage for the share you want to buy, making sure you can afford the payments. In addition, you will pay an affordable amount of rent to your landlord for the share you don’t own.

Once you are in your home, you can increase the share in your home until you own 100% of the property. This is known as ‘staircasing’.

Whenever you decide to sell your share it will be valued independently and sold at that price. To help keep the cost of the sale down, we can help you sell to another buyer on our waiting list. Or, if you then own 100 percent of your home, you can sell it on the open market like any other home.

How do I find out what's available in my area?

Visit the property search pages to look for property in your area.

How do I apply?

Use our online application form and follow the instructions on the screen. Check Your eligibility for HomeBuy on our Eligibility Guidelines page.

Recognised Keyworkers Click to view

Key workers who may currently get help include:

Clinical NHS staff (with the exception of doctors and dentists)
Teachers and nursery nurses in schools and further education/sixth form colleges
Police officers, Community Support Officers and some civilian staff
Prison Service staff in certain prisons
Firefighters and other uniformed staff below principal level in Fire and Rescue Services
Regular armed service personnel (i.e. regular service personnel, including Military Provost Guard Service, in the Navy, Army and Air Force)
MoD Police Officers
Uniformed staff in the Defence Fire Service
Probation Service staff
Social workers, nursery nurses, educational psychologists, and therapists (e.g. occupational therapists) employed by local authorities, CAFCASS or the NHS
Local Authority Planners
Connexions Personal Advisors employed by a local authority or a Connexions Partnership
Qualified Environmental Health Officers/Practitioners who work in a local authority, government agency, NHS or other public sector agencies
Highways Agency Traffic Officer staff in safety critical roles within the Traffic Officer Service

Home Ownership for people with Long-term Disabilities (HOLD): Q&A

What is HOLD?

Home Ownership for People with Long-term Disabilities (HOLD) is not a separate housing product but a route into shared ownership.

You should apply for affordable home ownership assistance in the standard way by filling out our application form. All applicants must meet the Homes and Communities Agency’s general eligibility criteria (that is, you should be a first time buyer (or be defined as being in housing need) with a household income of less than £60,000 per year).

What kinds of properties are available?

Consumers applying for government-funded affordable home ownership assistance have access to a range of new build properties, all available properties are listed on our website. If a property that meets your needs is available through a Registered Provider’s New Build HomeBuy (NBHB) stock, you will be expected to accept the offered property and no further options will be explored.

What happens if existing NBHB properties are not suitable for my needs?

If there are no NBHB properties available in your particular area or an area of close proximity, or the existing NBHB properties are not suitable, purchase of a property on the open market may be considered. In these cases we will refer you to another Housing Association who may be able to assist you.

If you are wishing to purchase through HOLD via the open market we will also require a letter of support from your Local Authority, stating that you have a specific disability that means the standard new build properties are unsuitable, or that you need to reside in a particular area where no suitable NBHB properties are available.

Important additional information about HOLD

HOLD is a voluntary scheme. The provision of HOLD funding is dependent on a specialist Registered Provider offering HOLD assistance within a particular area, and that provider having an existing HOLD allocation.

You will need to be able to sustain the cost of home ownership. You are required to either have a lump sum sufficient to cover the initial purchase without the need for a mortgage, or an on-going source of income sufficient to secure mortgage finance.

PLEASE NOTE THAT THERE ARE CURRENTLY NO LENDERS PROVIDING INTEREST ONLY MORTGAGES FOR APPLICANTS INTENDING TO COVER THEIR MORTGAGE REPAYMENTS SOLELY THROUGH THE SUPPORT FOR MORTGAGE INTEREST (SMI) BENEFIT.

We therefore strongly advise all applicants to get independent financial advice on what assistance may be available to them, and their ability to afford shared ownership.