Great news – the long-awaited government support package known as the ‘Help to Build’ scheme has finally been launched.

The four year, £150million equity loan scheme, has been brought forward by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Committees, with the aim of helping wannabe self-builders finance the building of their self-build or custom-build dream home.

As such, kick starting a self and custom build revolution.

Financial support for the build process

Similar to the Help to Buy scheme, the equity loan scheme is aimed to help people apply for an equity loan of between 5% and 20% of the total estimated land and build cost, which is interest-free for five years. Instead of a typical 20-25% deposit without the scheme.

Therefore, lowering the amount of deposit people will need and freeing up their capital. It will also reduce the amount that people will need to borrow from their mortgage lender on a repayment mortgage. Win, win.

Now an opportunity for all

Help to Build is perhaps more important because it is intended to open-up the opportunity to custom and self-build to far more people – particularly to people with smaller budgets and smaller savings. Making it more practical and accessible than ever before for people to build their dream home.

The government’s intention is to also help thousands more people get onto the property ladder, by giving them the opportunity to build a dream home – one that are perfectly tailored to their wants and needs, and in the community where they want to live.

The detail

If you want to use the Help to Build scheme

• You’ll need a deposit of at least 5% for the equity loan – as well as a self-build mortgage to pay for the land and build
• You can spend up to £600,000 on your new home – which must include the cost of the land, and no more than £400,000 on the cost to build it
• You’ll have 3 years to buy the land (if needed) and build your home after being offered an equity loan
• Your mortgage lender will release funds to you at various stages of the build until your home is finished
• You only get your equity loan and start to pay fees for it after you’ve built your home
• What happens on completion? Once built, the government will pay your mortgage lender the equity loan amount, and your self-build mortgage will then automatically switch to a repayment mortgage.

Get your skates on

The Help to Build scheme closes in 2026.

To find out more information, visit the official Help to Build home page for full application details.

Good Luck… and don’t forget to take us on the journey with you, we’d would love to hear how you get on with your application.