Who can apply for shared ownership

You can buy a home through shared ownership if all of these apply:

• your total household income is £80,000 a year or less (or £90,000 a year or less if you live in London)
• you’re unable to afford the full deposit and mortgage for a home that meets your needs
• you’re aged 18 or over
• you’re a British citizen or EU/EEA citizen with leave to remain

One of the following must also be true:

• you’re a first-time buyer
• you used to own a home but cannot afford to buy one now
• you’re forming a new household (for example, after a relationship breakdown)
• you’re a shared owner who has sold, or is in the process of selling your share and want to move
• you’re selling your home and have an offer on it, but cannot afford a new home that meets your needs

For some homes you may have to show that you live in, work in, or have a connection to the area where you want to buy the home.

If several people make an offer on a home at the same time, your offer will be prioritised if you’re a serving member of the armed forces.

If you previously served, your offer may also be prioritised, depending on your role.

If you’re aged 55 or over at the time of buying a home, you can buy up to a 75% share through the Older Persons Shared Ownership (OPSO) scheme. Once you own 75%, you will not have to pay rent on the remaining 25%.

If you have a long-term disability, you can apply for a scheme called Home Ownership for people with a long-term disability (HOLD).

You can apply for this scheme if you cannot find a shared ownership home that meets your accessibility needs – for example, if you need a ground floor home. This involves buying a home on the open market through a specialist provider.

To find out more about the HOLD scheme and how to apply, see Home Ownership for people with a long-term disability (HOLD) on GOV.UK.

You can check if you’re eligible to buy a home through shared ownership on GOV.UK.