Veterans and families:
your guide to getting help with buying a home in England
Owning a home is a huge milestone. For many veterans, it’s a powerful step toward long‑term stability after leaving the armed forces. If you’re looking at buying a home in England but worried about affordability, there are 3 major schemes that can help veterans with buying a home: First Homes, Shared Ownership and Forces Help to Buy.
Here’s how they work, who can apply and why veterans receive special consideration.
Time to read:
This guidance is for England. There are separate guides for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
First Homes: Buy a home for 30% to 50% less
The First Homes scheme helps first‑time buyers purchase a home at a significant discount, usually 30% to 50% less than market value.
The discount stays with the property forever, meaning when you sell it later, the next first‑time buyer gets the same percentage discount.
What kind of homes can you buy?
A new‑build home from a developer.
A resale property previously bought under the First Homes scheme.
The home must be your only or main residence.
Who is eligible?
You must:
- be 18 or over
- be a first‑time buyer
- be able to get a mortgage for at least half the price of the home after the discount
- earn £80,000 or less before tax (or £90,000 in London), using income from the last tax year
If buying with someone else:
- you must all be first‑time buyers
- your combined income must be under the threshold
- you must apply together even if only one person is on the mortgage
Local eligibility rules
Local councils can set extra criteria for the first 3 months of a property’s sale, often prioritising:
- key workers
- people already living in the area
- lower‑income households
If buying with others:
- you must all meet income criteria
- only 1 buyer must meet other local criteria
Special rules for veterans buying a home in England
As a member of the armed forces community, local restrictions do not apply if you are:
- serving personnel
- a veteran who left the armed forces in the last 5 years
- a divorced/separated spouse or partner of serving personnel
- a widow/widower whose partner died due to service
You still need to meet the main First Homes eligibility criteria, but you won’t be blocked by ‘local area’ rules.
Find out more:
Shared Ownership:
Buy a share you can afford
If buying a home outright feels out of reach, Shared Ownership lets you buy a percentage of a property and pay rent on the rest.
This can dramatically reduce your upfront costs.
How it works
You buy:
- 10% to 75% of the home’s market value
- usually with a mortgage or savings
You then:
- pay rent to the landlord (often a housing association or council)
- pay service charges and ground rent
Over time, you can buy more shares (this is called ‘staircasing’) until you eventually own 100%.
What types of homes can you buy?
Newly built homes.
Resale shared ownership homes.
Accessible homes designed for people with long‑term disabilities.
All shared ownership homes are leasehold.
Costs to expect
A 5% to 10% deposit, but only for the share you’re buying.
Monthly mortgage payments (for your share).
Monthly rent (on the landlord’s share).
Service charges and maintenance fees.
This makes Shared Ownership a flexible option if you can afford some of the deposit and mortgage costs, but not the full amount.
Find out more:
Still serving? Consider Forces Help to Buy for interest‑free support
If you’re still in service, Forces Help to Buy (FHTB) can make buying a home much more achievable.
What is Forces Help to Buy?
The scheme allows eligible service personnel to borrow:
- up to 50% of their annual salary
- up to a maximum of £25,000
- interest‑free
The loan can be used towards:
- a deposit
- solicitor’s fees
- estate agent fees
- other purchase costs
From 1 January 2023, Forces Help to Buy became an enduring policy, meaning it’s available now and in the future.
Who can use the scheme?
You may be eligible if you:
- are regular service personnel
- have completed the required length of service
- have more than 6 months left to serve
- meet medical requirements
- are not a reservist or part of the Military Provost Guard Service
There may be exceptions in cases involving medical or personal circumstances.
How to apply
Applications are made through JPA self‑service, using the Forces Help to Buy application process. Full guidance is available in the JPA user guide.
Find out more:
Which scheme is right for you?
All options can help military families take their first step onto the property ladder.
Choose First Homes if you want:
- a new‑build or resale home at a big discount
- full ownership from day one
- veteran‑friendly exemptions to local restrictions
Choose Shared Ownership if you want:
- lower upfront costs
- a way to start with a small share and increase ownership over time
- access to a wide range of homes in different locations
Consider Forces Help to Buy if you’re still serving and want:
- an interest‑free boost to your deposit
- help covering buying costs
- support while balancing a mobile service career