{
  "id": 4588326,
  "title": "First-time buyer Isa v lifetime Isa – which one should you choose?",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/31/first-time-buyer-isa-v-lifetime-isa-which-one-should-you-choose",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-08-31T06:00:18.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Guardian Business",
    "slug": "guardian-business",
    "url": "https://www.theguardian.com/money/2026/aug/31/first-time-buyer-isa-v-lifetime-isa-which-one-should-you-choose"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A new ISA for first-time homebuyers is expected to launch in 2028, but experts recommend opening a lifetime ISA now to take advantage of the current government bonus. The first-time buyer ISA will have a £4,000 annual contribution limit, a £450,000 property price cap, and a 25% penalty for withdrawals exceeding this limit. Money saved in the account will earn a 25% bonus up to £1,000 per year. Although the new ISA will be more user-friendly, with no upper age limit or withdrawal charges, savers may miss out on potential interest or investment growth if the bonus is paid as a lump sum at the time of purchase. Those with existing lifetime ISAs cannot transfer them to the new ISAs, and transfers between cash ISAs and the first-time buyer ISAs are limited.",
  "summary": "Despite plans to scrap the lifetime Isa, experts still advise you open one now and not wait for the new first-time buyer account to launch If you want to start saving towards your first home, don’t wait until a new Isa just for first-time buyers goes on sale. That is the advice from experts after more details emerged about a savings account the government plans to launch to help people get a foot…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}