{
  "id": 7490953,
  "title": "Help-to-Buy scheme delivered ‘very high value for money,’ review finds",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/15/help-to-buy-scheme-delivered-very-high-value-for-money-review-finds",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-09-15T06:00:29.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Guardian Business",
    "slug": "guardian-business",
    "url": "https://www.theguardian.com/money/2026/sep/15/help-to-buy-scheme-delivered-very-high-value-for-money-review-finds"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Help-to-Buy scheme, introduced by George Osborne, has been deemed \"very high value for money\" by a government review, according to a new report. The £25bn social value provided by the scheme in the last financial year has bolstered the case for resurrecting the program, particularly among those advocating for Labour to create a similar scheme to boost home ownership among young voters. The housing minister Matthew Pennycook and former housing secretary Steve Reed had pushed for the idea, but Chancellor Rachel Reeves prioritized housing supply over the scheme. The report found that the scheme supported expanded home ownership, particularly in already affordable areas, helping some people buy homes sooner or afford larger or more expensive homes. Over 387,000 people bought their own home through the scheme, with nearly half stating they could not have purchased a home without it. However, the report did not consider the impact on house prices and did not support the Treasury's argument that the scheme was expensive. Both the prime minister and his predecessor have emphasized new housebuilding to tackle the housing crisis, but Labour has not introduced a similar scheme.",
  "summary": "Exclusive: George Osborne’s programme to reduce costs for first-time buyers delivered £25bn in social value in UK last year George Osborne’s scheme to reduce costs for first-time buyers represented “very high value for money”, according to a government review, bolstering the case of senior government figures who have been arguing to resurrect the idea. An official audit of the Help-to-Buy…",
  "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."
}