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Shared ownership mortgages
Reduce what you need to buy your dream home. Buy a share of a property and pay rent on the rest. Find out how a shared ownership mortgage could make homeownership a reality sooner.
Suitable for buyers & movers
Start with just a 25% share
Staircase to full ownership
How does it work?
Shared ownership was built for people who can't quite stretch to buying a home outright but don't want to keep renting with nothing to show for it.
Here's how it works:
You buy a share. Instead of financing 100% of the property, you take out a mortgage on a smaller share, often somewhere between 10% and 75% of the home's value, depending on the scheme you go for.
You pay rent on the rest. The share you don't own still belongs to a landlord (a housing association or a private provider), and you pay rent on it alongside your mortgage.
You can buy more later. This is called "staircasing." Over time, you can buy further shares of the property, either in one go or gradually, until in some cases you own it outright.
Because your mortgage only needs to cover your share, shared ownership can open the door to homes that would otherwise be out of reach on your income. The details, like how big your first share can be, whether there's an income cap, and how staircasing actually works, depend on which route you take. That's where government and private shared ownership start to differ.
Government vs Private Shared Ownership
Both routes follow the same basic idea (buy a share, rent the rest, staircase up over time), but the rules, eligibility, and flexibility differ depending on who you buy through.
| Feature | Government Shared Ownership | Private Shared Ownership |
|---|---|---|
Who runs it | Housing associations | Private providers |
Household income limit | Max £80,000 (max £90,000 in London) | Varies by provider |
Property choice | Specific SO homes from official Housing Associations | Varies by provider |
Staircasing | Min 10% increments, subject to affordability checks | Varies by provider |
Government Shared Ownership is worth a closer look if your household income is under the threshold and you're comfortable choosing from housing-association-approved homes. You'll need to pass affordability checks that cover both your rent and your ability to buy more of the property over time. Find out more about Government Shared Ownership here.
Private Shared Ownership is worth a closer look if you earn above the government scheme's income limit, or if you want more flexibility in providers and terms. Each private provider sets its own rules, so it's worth comparing them directly. Find out more about Private Shared Ownership here.
Not sure which fits? Our advisors can walk through both routes against your income, deposit, and the area you're buying in, and tell you which one gets you further.
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