The Local Authority Home Loan is a Government backed mortgage for those on modest or low incomes who cannot get sufficient funding from commercial banks to purchase or build a home. It has been available nationwide from local authorities since 4 January 2022 for first-time buyers and fresh start applicants. The loan can be used for new and second-hand properties, or to self-build.
To support prudential lending, applicants must have a deposit equivalent to at least 10% of the market value of the property. Of this deposit, cash savings should provide no less than 3% of the market value of the property and applicants must provide bank or similar statements for a 12-month period immediately prior to making an application clearly showing a credible and consistent track record of savings. Gifts can comprise the remaining 7% of the market value of the property where their source is verified. The 10% deposit applies irrespective of previous housing tenure, and I have no plans to change this requirement.
The availability of the Help to Buy scheme for first-time buyers offers additional assistance to purchasers using the Local Authority Home Loan to buy newly built properties. This should alleviate some of the challenges faced by first-time buyers in accessing the 10% deposit of the market value of the property. The initiative has been designed to provide immediate and targeted support for first-time buyers in meeting their deposit requirements and encouraging the construction of new housing units.