Government-backed home ownership routes are easiest to compare when they are separated into three groups: live schemes, tenant-purchase routes and legacy products. That matters because many older pages still blur current options with routes that only matter if you already hold the account or loan.
A quick scheme map for 2026
| Route | Status in 2026 | Main use |
|---|---|---|
| Lifetime ISA | Live | Building a deposit for a qualifying first home |
| First Homes | Live in England | Buying a qualifying discounted new-build home |
| Shared Ownership | Live | Buying a share instead of the full property |
| Right to Buy | Live in England | Council tenants buying their home at a discount |
| Right to Acquire | Live in England | Some housing association tenants buying at a discount |
| Help to Buy ISA | Legacy only | Existing savers using existing account rules |
| Help to Buy Equity Loan | Legacy only | Existing borrowers managing or repaying the loan |
Lifetime ISA
Lifetime ISA remains one of the clearest live routes for first-time buyers.
The current rules allow:
- opening the account between ages 18 and 39
- paying in up to £4,000 each tax year
- receiving a 25% government bonus worth up to £1,000 a year
For a first-home purchase:
- the property must cost £450,000 or less
- the account must have been open for at least 12 months
- the withdrawal is handled by a conveyancer or solicitor
The most common mistake is not the contribution limit. It is missing the 12-month rule.
Use the Lifetime ISA Calculator if you need to test the bonus, the 12-month rule and the £450,000 property cap against a real purchase plan.
Read the Lifetime ISA Guide if the main question is whether the account timing, purchase cap or withdrawal charge fits your first-home plan.
First Homes
First Homes is a discounted home-ownership route in England for eligible first-time buyers.
The core structure is:
- a discount of at least 30%, and up to 50%
- household income of £80,000 or less, or £90,000 in London
- a mortgage for at least 50% of the discounted purchase price
The property price cap after the discount is £250,000 outside London and £420,000 in London.
Local councils can still add local eligibility conditions, so First Homes always needs a local availability check as well as a national rules check.
Shared Ownership
Shared Ownership remains a live route for households that cannot buy a suitable home outright.
The broad framework is:
- household income of £80,000 or less, or £90,000 in London
- buying a share of between 10% and 75%
- paying rent on the share that is not owned
That can widen access, but it still needs a full budget because the monthly cost can include:
- mortgage payments on the share you buy
- rent on the remaining share
- service charges and related property costs
Use the Shared Ownership Calculator to test the combined cost and staircasing plan properly.
Read the Shared Ownership Staircasing Guide if you need to understand how later share purchases, rent changes, lease rules and SDLT checks can change the decision.
Right to Buy
Right to Buy remains a live route in England for eligible council tenants.
The main conditions include:
- usually at least 3 years as a public sector tenant
- the property being your only or main home
- the home being self-contained
For many applicants, the practical issue is not whether the route exists. It is whether the current discount rules and the purchase budget still fit after the mortgage, repairs and buying costs are added together.
Application timing matters here because newer applications do not use the same discount limits quoted in many older Right to Buy pages and leaflets. For applications after 21 November 2024, the maximum regional discount is much lower than the old national caps: current maximums range from £16,000 in London to £38,000 in the South East, with some local exceptions.
Right to Acquire
Right to Acquire is different from Right to Buy and applies to some housing association tenants in England.
The route can apply where:
- you have had a public sector landlord for 3 years
- the property is your only or main home
- the home and landlord meet the scheme rules
The discount is location-based and currently falls between £9,000 and £16,000.
Help to Buy ISA
Help to Buy ISA is now a legacy savings product, not a new-entry route.
The practical position is:
- you cannot open a new account
- existing holders can keep paying in until November 2029
- the bonus can be claimed until November 2030
- the same purchase cannot use both a Help to Buy ISA bonus and a Lifetime ISA bonus
That means it still matters for some existing savers, but not for someone starting a new deposit plan now.
Help to Buy Equity Loan
Help to Buy Equity Loan in England is also legacy only for new buyers.
It still matters for existing borrowers because the repayment and fee rules remain live, including:
- the 1.75% fee from year 6
- the £1 monthly management fee
- the rules for part repayment, full repayment and sale
If you already have the loan, use the Help to Buy Calculator. If you do not, this is not a route to plan around for a new purchase.
How to choose the right route
- If you are saving for a first home and meet the age rule, check Lifetime ISA first.
- If you are buying a qualifying discounted new-build home in England, check First Homes.
- If full ownership is not yet affordable, test Shared Ownership with the all-in monthly cost.
- If you are an eligible tenant, check Right to Buy or Right to Acquire based on the tenancy type.
- Only treat Help to Buy products as relevant if you already hold the account or loan.
For the wider buying budget around any of these routes, pair the schemes guide with the First-Time Buyer Guide, Affordability Planner and Stamp Duty Calculator.