Remember Help to Buy?

Help to Buy: Equity Loan was a government scheme that helped first-time buyers get on the property ladder with a 5% deposit.

Well, Help to Buy officially closed in March 2023. And while some people are still refreshing the government website, hoping for a comeback, the truth is, it’s not returning anytime soon.

But here’s the good news: your dream of owning a home doesn’t have to end.

There are Help to Buy alternatives available right now.

And Own Homes has created an affordable homeownership scheme called #RentSaveOwn, which might be precisely what you’ve been searching for.

What was Help to Buy?

In case you’ve filed it away under “complicated government stuff,” here’s the quick reminder:

• • Help to Buy was a government-backed equity loan scheme. It allowed first-time buyers to buy a new-build home with a minimum 5% deposit, and the government provided an equity loan of up to 20% (or 40% in London).

• • It was popular but also considered somewhat tricky to navigate, and after nearly a decade, it officially ended in 2023.

You can find the government’s closure notice here: https://www.gov.uk/help-to-buy-equity-loan

What’s changed since Help to Buy ended?

These days, the biggest barrier to homeownership isn’t being able to afford monthly payments; it’s saving the deposit.

According to the Lloyds Banking Group, the average UK first-time buyer deposit in February 2025 was around £61,090, which is more than double what it was ten years ago.

Sound familiar?

That’s exactly why Own Homes exists.

Help to Buy alternatives: Meet Own Homes.

The team behind Own Homes delivered the Help to Buy scheme for the government, and we’re here to help you.

Own Homes is creating a new way to turn rent into homeownership.

Our #RentSaveOwn model has been built for today’s reality, where renting can feel like running on a hamster wheel and saving a deposit for a home can feel out of reach.

Here’s how it works:

1. 1. Choose your new-build home from one of our partner housebuilders.

1. 1. Move in when it’s built and live in the home you will own.

1. 1. Pay a fixed monthly amount, similar to a mortgage.

1. 1. Automatically save a portion of your payment to build your deposit into a secure savings account.

1. 1. Buy your home within five years using the deposit you have saved.

It’s that simple.

Why homebuyers want to use Own Homes.

Because rent should lead you to your own front door.

We created #RentSaveOwn to give you control, flexibility, and fairness.

With this rent-to-own scheme:

• • You can move in and save a deposit to buy.

• • Your money works harder; part of what you pay each month is saved toward your deposit.

• • New-build homes are modern, energy-efficient, and lower maintenance.

• • One move, one home, live in the home you’ll own within five years.

It’s a straightforward pathway to homeownership that works for today.

Still waiting for Help to Buy 3.0?

Honestly? You could be waiting a while.

Instead of holding out for another government scheme, consider Own Homes.

If you dream of owning a new-build home, can afford the mortgage but are struggling to save for a deposit, you’re exactly who we want to help.

Designed for those with:

• • Household income over £45,000

• • Steady employment or self-employment history.

• • Motivated to buy, but don’t have the deposit.

You can start building your future living in a new-build home.

In a nutshell: Your next steps

Help to Buy has ended, but Own Homes is here to pick up the torch.

If you can afford a mortgage but can’t save a deposit, this may be your route to owning your own home.

With #RentSaveOwn, you can:

• • Move into a new-build home.

• • Save your deposit while you rent.

• • Switch to a mortgage when you’re ready.

All without an upfront mortgage deposit.

Ready to own your home, your way?

Join others like you and be the first to know when new-build homes become available in the area you want to live.

Take those simple steps to help you plan your move from renting to owning.

Own your future, one rent at a time.

Find out how it works.

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Sources:

1. 1. GOV.UK – Help to Buy Equity Loan (Closed 2023) https://www.gov.uk/help-to-buy-equity-loan

1. 1. Lloyds Banking Group – the average first-time buyer deposit 2024 https://www.lloydsbankinggroup.com/media/press-releases/2025/halifax-2025/first-time-buyer-market-rebounds.html