Housing · England
Buying a home when you get benefits
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This guide is about England.
Some people who get benefits can buy a home.
Choose a home and check a mortgage
Think about the home you want.
Think about access, nearby people and the support you need.
A mortgage is money you borrow to buy a home.
The lender checks whether you can afford repayments.
Some lenders accept benefits as income.
Different lenders have different rules.
Getting benefits does not guarantee a mortgage.
Get advice about the costs
Ask a regulated mortgage adviser for help.
Check their fees and the firms they consider.
You need money for buying costs and ongoing bills.
There may also be repairs and service charges.
You could lose your home if you cannot pay the mortgage.
Schemes that may help
Shared ownership means buying part of a home.
You pay rent on the part you do not own.
Ask for help to understand the agreement.
HOLD is a shared ownership scheme for some disabled people.
Ask whether you can apply and whether it is available near you.
SMI is a loan that may help with mortgage interest.
It does not pay back the money you borrowed to buy the home.
The SMI loan also needs repaying with interest.
Benefits may help with some rent and service charges.
Ask an adviser to check exactly what you could get.
Check benefits and care before signing
Saving money for a deposit can affect some benefits.
Get benefits advice before making financial changes.
Arrange the care you need as well as the home.
Buying a home does not automatically pay for your support.
Ask for help to understand your choices and agreements.
Check costs, benefits and support before paying or signing.
What you can do next
Ask for independent benefits, mortgage and legal advice.
You can ask someone you trust to help you prepare.
Read about HOLD Web pageThis link opens another website.
It may use harder words.
More useful links
- HOLD: official guidance Web page
Eligibility, suitable homes and finding a provider in England.
- Scope: mortgages and benefits Web page
Questions about affordability and benefits income.
- Support for Mortgage Interest Web page
Check eligibility and understand that SMI is a repayable loan.
- Checking a financial firm Web page
Check the firm's permission to provide the service you need.
These links open other websites.
They may use harder words.
Buying your own home when you receive benefits
Explore mortgages, shared ownership and HOLD, with separate checks on benefits, care and affordability.
Adults · England · Home ownership and benefits
Start with the home and life you want
Think about location, relationships, transport, access, equipment and space for any overnight support. Owning a home is one option alongside renting or other arrangements. It is possible for some people receiving benefits to buy, but approval and affordability are individual. Do not assume a disability or benefit award guarantees a mortgage or a suitable scheme.
Check what a lender will accept
Lenders assess income, spending, existing debts, deposit and whether repayments remain affordable. Some accept particular benefits as income; others have different criteria. Take benefit award letters and a realistic budget to a regulated mortgage adviser. Ask which lenders they consider, what their advice costs and how they are paid. Check the firm's permissions through the FCA before using it.
Understand all the costs
Budget for the deposit, legal work, survey, moving, any tax, mortgage payments, insurance, repairs, bills and service charges. Shared ownership can mean paying a mortgage and rent together. Ask what happens if interest, rent or charges rise, or benefit income falls. Do not use money needed for essential support without advice. Your home can be repossessed if you do not keep up mortgage repayments.
How shared ownership works
You buy a share and pay rent on the remaining share. A housing provider's lease sets out rights, costs, repairs and selling arrangements. It is not the same as owning an ordinary home outright. Ask an independent solicitor to explain the lease, repair liabilities, restrictions and future costs before committing. Check whether the property can meet your access and support needs.
Ask about the HOLD scheme
Home Ownership for people with a Long-term Disability, called HOLD, is a form of shared ownership in England. It can help where ordinary shared-ownership homes do not meet your needs. A participating provider buys a suitable property and sells you a share. Eligibility includes disability, income and affordability conditions, and a provider must operate in the area. Availability is not an individual entitlement. Ask about current eligibility, available providers and every cost.
Mortgage interest help is a loan
Support for Mortgage Interest, or SMI, may help eligible people receiving qualifying means-tested benefits. For Universal Credit, payments can normally start after three consecutive months, subject to the rules. SMI helps with eligible interest using a set rate and limits; it does not repay the mortgage capital or necessarily cover all your interest. It is a separate loan with interest, usually repaid when the home is sold or ownership transferred. Read the loan terms before accepting.
Check rent and service-charge support separately
In shared ownership, eligible rent and service charges may qualify for benefit help; this is different from mortgage help. Owner-occupier service-charge rules have their own conditions. Ask a welfare-rights adviser to identify the correct route for your age, benefits and accommodation. Get a written calculation showing what is covered and what you must pay. Do not assume benefits will cover every charge.
Saving a deposit can affect benefits
Money saved for a deposit can count towards means-tested benefit capital limits. Gifts, inheritance, joint ownership and money held before a purchase need individual advice and reporting. For Universal Credit, the value of the home you own and live in is normally disregarded, but other property and savings can count. PIP is different and is not means-tested. Get advice before moving or giving away money; benefit and social-care charging rules are not identical.
Keep housing and care planning separate
Ask the council to assess or review the care you will need in the proposed home. Discuss adaptations, equipment, travel and emergency backup. Confirm who will fund and provide support before committing to a property that depends on it. Buying a home does not itself secure a care package. Ask the solicitor and care commissioner to explain any link between housing, support and a particular provider.
Support to understand and sign agreements
Ask for accessible explanations, enough time and independent advice. Capacity is specific to the decision; having a learning disability does not remove it. If someone cannot make the relevant financial decision after support, the correct legal authority is needed. A benefits appointee cannot simply sign a property purchase or mortgage on that basis. A deputy must have the required authority in the court order; additional Court of Protection permission may be needed.
Agree the next steps before paying
Bring together a benefits adviser, regulated mortgage adviser, independent conveyancing solicitor and the relevant care or housing team. Ask for the purchase costs, ongoing budget, funding decisions and risks in writing. Check who is responsible for each action. Do not rely on a sales promise that all costs will be paid by benefits. Ask for help early if a payment or agreement becomes unaffordable.
Words you could use
“I want to explore buying a home. Please help me check the full costs, benefit rules, legal agreements and support I will need.”
More useful links
- HOLD: official guidance Web page
Eligibility, suitable homes and finding a provider in England.
- Scope: mortgages and benefits Web page
Questions about affordability and benefits income.
- Support for Mortgage Interest Web page
Check eligibility and understand that SMI is a repayable loan.
- Checking a financial firm Web page
Check the firm's permission to provide the service you need.
These links open other websites.
They may use harder words.
Where the information comes from
Links checked 1 November 2026.
These links open other websites.
They may use harder words.
- Homes England: HOLD Web page
The England scheme and its eligibility criteria.
- Homes England: Shared Ownership funding guide Web page
HOLD availability, provider discretion and scheme arrangements.
- GOV.UK: shared ownership Web page
Buying a share and paying rent on the remainder.
- Scope: mortgages and benefits Web page
Affordability, benefits income and costs.
- MoneyHelper: mortgage advice Web page
Choosing an adviser, charges and mortgage illustrations.
- FCA: checking financial firms Web page
Checking authorisation and relevant permissions.
- GOV.UK: SMI eligibility Web page
Qualifying benefits and waiting-period rules.
- GOV.UK: what SMI pays Web page
Interest support, limits and loan repayment.
- GOV.UK: Universal Credit and a home you own Web page
Owner-occupier service charges and mortgage-interest help.
- GOV.UK: rent and Universal Credit Web page
Eligible rent and service charges, including shared ownership.
- DWP: Universal Credit capital Web page
Savings, gifts, property and reporting changes.
- GOV.UK: PIP Web page
PIP can be paid to people with savings or earnings.
- Office of the Public Guardian: deputy authority Web page
Required authority for buying, selling or charging property.
- GOV.UK: benefits appointees Web page
The appointee's role concerns benefits, rather than general property decisions.