You need £17,000 for a first home - here's how to do it
Here are four ways you can put money aside to save enough for a deposit on your first home.
The Your First Home scheme aims to assist first-time buyers in England by providing a small deposit. The average UK house price is £272,000, and a 5% deposit plus moving costs and legal fees can amount to around £16,850. To begin saving, experts suggest depositing money into a regular saver account each payday, treating it like a bill that benefits you in the future.
The type of account depends on your circumstances, such as whether you can access higher interest rates or lock the money away for better savings rates. If you have no other savings, an easy access account allows you to access the funds for unexpected expenses. The Lifetime Individual Savings Account (LISA) lets you save up to £4,000 annually, with a government bonus of 25% on the full amount.
However, the money can only be used to buy a first home up to £450,000, a limit that hasn't changed since 2017. Withdrawals for other reasons result in penalties. The government plans to replace the LISA with a new First Time Buyer ISA, but details are still unclear. Saving regularly, even £50 a month from age 20, can grow to £41,000 in 30 years at a 5% interest rate.
Investing in stocks and shares is another option, but values can fluctuate. Some lenders offer mortgages with little or no deposit required, starting from £5,000 and allowing borrowing up to 98% or 99% of the property purchase price. Lastly, some first-time buyers seek help from parents, who may charge rent and contribute towards their child's home savings.
Written by urgent.news from BBC Business's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
