You already have a Help to Buy equity loan
Use the page to reconstruct the original purchase mix, understand which fee formula applies to your scheme phase and estimate the repayment amount against today's property value.
Help to Buy
Help to Buy calculator for legacy equity loans, ISA savers and today's alternatives
For borrowers who already have a Help to Buy equity loan, still hold a Help to Buy ISA, or need to compare the closed England scheme with the government-backed routes that are still open now.
Legacy equity loan supportISA deadline checksCurrent alternatives
Equity Loan
New applications closed on 31 October 2022
Help to Buy ISA
Existing savers can keep paying in until November 2029
Fee Rule
Year-6 fee starts at 1.75%, but the annual uplift depends on scheme phase
Calculate First
Model the original purchase structure and the year-6 fee correctly
This calculator is built for an existing equity loan, legacy-scheme research or repayment planning. It is not an eligibility checker for a new Help to Buy equity loan in England, because that route is closed.
Original scheme details
Scheme price cap used in the planner: £437,600.
£
%
Published Help to Buy structures usually needed at least a 5% deposit.
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Enter the actual percentage from your paperwork. This path supports up to 20%.
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years
Use for existing borrowers
This planner is for historic Help to Buy purchases in England. It helps reconstruct the original funding mix and estimate the effect of today's property value on repayment.
Original Purchase Structure
Deposit
£15,0005.00% of the purchase price
Original Equity Loan
£60,00020.00% of the purchase price
Mortgage Needed
£225,00075.00% of the purchase price
Indicative Monthly Mortgage
£1,250.62Scheme Phase Used
2021 to 2023 England first-time buyer scheme (South East)Ongoing Charges And Year-6 Fee
Monthly Management Fee
£1.00Included in both scheme-phase borrower guides.
Year-6 Interest Charge
£1,0501.75% of the original equity-loan amount
Year-6 Monthly Interest
£87.50Year-6 Monthly Charges Total
£88.50Interest charge plus the ongoing monthly management fee.
Future Annual Uplift Rule
CPI plus 2% each April after year 5Use Cases
When Help to Buy still matters in 2026
The equity-loan scheme is closed to new applicants, but the route still matters in several live borrower situations.
You are redeeming or remortgaging the equity loan
This is where the difference between the original cash amount and the equity-loan percentage matters most, because repayment is linked to the property value at the time of redemption or sale.
You still hold a Help to Buy ISA
The ISA remains relevant for existing savers, but it needs to be kept separate from the closed equity-loan scheme and from the Lifetime ISA when you are planning a purchase.
Scheme Status
What is closed, what is legacy only, and what still matters now
Start by separating the closed England equity-loan route from the legacy ISA route and the government-backed options that are still open.
Help to Buy: Equity Loan is closed to new applicants in England
New applications closed on 31 October 2022 and the main final completion deadline was 31 March 2023, with some homebuilder extensions allowed up to 31 May 2023. Existing borrowers still manage, repay and sometimes remortgage their equity loans, but new users cannot join that scheme in England.
Existing equity loans still behave as a percentage of property value
The amount repaid is based on the equity-loan percentage of the current market value or agreed sale price, not simply the original cash amount borrowed.
Help to Buy ISA is legacy only, but not dead yet
You cannot open a new Help to Buy ISA, but existing savers can keep contributing until November 2029 and can still claim the bonus until November 2030.
Current first-time buyer routes are different products
In 2026 the live government-backed routes people typically compare are the Lifetime ISA, First Homes and Shared Ownership. None of them is a direct continuation of the closed England equity-loan scheme.
Fee Rules
How fee rules change by scheme phase
The year-6 starting rate is the same across the main England scheme phases, but the annual uplift rule changed. That is why scheme phase still matters for existing borrowers.
| Scheme phase | Original structure to remember | Year-6 fee rule |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 to 2021 England scheme | Up to 20% equity loan in England, with London later extended to 40% from February 2016. The general property cap used in the earlier England scheme was £600,000. | The fee starts at 1.75% in year 6, rises each April by RPI plus 1%, and sits alongside a £1 monthly management fee. |
| 2021 to 2023 England first-time buyer scheme | The newer England scheme used up to 20% outside London and up to 40% in London, with regional price caps and first-time buyer-only rules. | The fee starts at 1.75% in year 6, rises each April by CPI plus 2%, and includes a £1 monthly management fee. |
Why the calculator asks which scheme you used
If a borrower bought under the 2013 to 2021 rules, using the 2021 to 2023 fee uplift would be wrong. If a borrower bought under the newer first-time buyer scheme, using the older RPI plus 1% rule would be wrong. The calculator keeps those paths separate so the year-6 explanation matches the right scheme.
Current Alternatives
Where current first-time buyers should look instead
Existing borrowers still need Help to Buy support, but new buyers need a clear handover to the routes that are still open.
Lifetime ISA
The Lifetime ISA gives a 25% government bonus on up to £4,000 a year of contributions for eligible savers. It is an active savings route, not an equity loan, so it helps with the deposit rather than replacing part of the mortgage.
Open the LISA calculator →First Homes
First Homes offers at least a 30% discount on qualifying new-build homes in England, subject to income caps and local rules. It is closer to a discounted-purchase route than a financing bridge.
Read the schemes guide →Shared Ownership
Shared Ownership remains one of the current affordable home ownership routes. It works differently from Help to Buy because you buy a share and pay rent on the remainder rather than taking a government equity loan.
Open the Shared Ownership calculator →Help to Buy ISA as a legacy saver route
If you already hold a Help to Buy ISA, it still matters. The main thing is to separate that legacy saver route from the closed Help to Buy equity loan and from the Lifetime ISA.
Read the first-time buyer guide →Frequently Asked Questions
Is Help to Buy still open for new applicants in England?
No. New applications for the England Help to Buy: Equity Loan scheme closed on 31 October 2022. The main final completion deadline was 31 March 2023, with some homebuilder extensions allowed in limited cases up to 31 May 2023.
How is the equity loan repaid when I sell or redeem it?
You repay the same equity-loan percentage of the market value or agreed sale price at the time of repayment, not the original cash amount you borrowed.
Do all Help to Buy equity loans rise by the same annual formula after year 5?
No. The 2021 to 2023 England scheme increases the year-6 fee by CPI plus 2% each year. The 2013 to 2021 England scheme increases it by RPI plus 1% each year instead.
Can I still use a Help to Buy ISA in 2026?
Yes, if you already have one. Existing Help to Buy ISA savers can keep contributing until November 2029 and can claim the government bonus until November 2030.
Can I use a Lifetime ISA and a Help to Buy ISA bonus on the same home purchase?
No. You can save into both if you are eligible, but you can only use the bonus from one of them towards the same purchase.
What has replaced Help to Buy for first-time buyers?
There is no like-for-like replacement equity loan for England. The government-backed routes commonly considered now are the Lifetime ISA, First Homes and Shared Ownership, each with their own eligibility and property rules.