Frequent relocations and the general uncertainty of service life make it genuinely harder to save for a deposit than most. The Forces Help to Buy Scheme exists to close that gap: an interest-free loan of up to £25,000, repaid through your payroll, that you can use towards a deposit or other buying costs.
Updated July 2026
The Armed Forces Help to Buy Scheme gives regular service personnel an interest-free loan of up to 50% of their salary, capped at £25,000, to help buy a home. It's a loan repaid through payroll over up to 10 years, not a stake in your property, so you own the home outright from day one. It's available for a main residence only.
The Armed Forces Help to Buy Scheme (FHTB) is a government-backed initiative that helps regular service personnel buy a property. It provides an interest-free advance of up to £25,000 to help cover a deposit, legal fees, or other essential home-buying costs. Full official details are available on the MOD's Discover My Benefits page.
It works differently from the old civilian Help to Buy scheme, which closed in 2023 and involved the government taking a stake in your property (shared equity). The armed forces version is a straightforward loan. You own your home outright from day one, there's no equity share to buy back later.
| Feature | Forces Help to Buy | Former civilian Help to Buy (closed 2023) |
|---|---|---|
| What you get | An interest-free loan, up to £25,000 | A government equity share in your property |
| Who owns the home | You, in full, from day one | Part-owned by the government until the equity loan was repaid |
| How it's repaid | Payroll deductions over up to 10 years | Repaid on sale, or based on the property's value at repayment |
| Who it's for | Regular armed forces personnel meeting service-length rules | Was open to first-time buyers generally; scheme has closed |
It's part of a wider effort to make home ownership realistic for people who move often and rarely stay in one job long enough to build up the deposit savings a civilian buyer might.
To apply, you'll generally need to:
There are some exceptions, for example if you're being medically discharged, so it's worth checking directly with your unit's admin team if your situation is a bit different from the standard case.
How much you can borrow is based on your gross salary, capped at £25,000, repaid through your payroll. If you're approaching the end of your service, alternative routes may suit you better than this scheme, it's worth talking to an adviser who understands both military and civilian mortgage options before deciding.
The Help to Buy Armed Forces loan sits alongside a standard mortgage. You use it to top up your own savings towards the deposit lenders require.
Purely illustrative example. Actual figures depend on your salary, the property, and lender criteria.
This kind of structure can make a real difference if your savings alone wouldn't get you to the deposit lenders want, particularly if you're currently in Service Family Accommodation and haven't had the same opportunity to build up equity that a long-term homeowner would have.
Being accepted for the Forces Help to Buy loan doesn't guarantee a lender will actually offer you a mortgage. Lenders assess your wider financial position, including credit history and affordability, in the normal way, regardless of your FHTB approval. It's worth getting a proper Mortgage in Principle sorted before you get too far into a property search.
Some lenders offer what's informally called a "military home loan," a standard mortgage product built to work alongside a Forces Help to Buy deposit, with underwriting that takes account of things like postings, allowances, and Service Family Accommodation. It's worth checking a lender actually understands this before applying, rather than assuming any mainstream mortgage will treat your circumstances the same way as a typical civilian applicant. See our guide to mortgage broker vs bank options for more on comparing lenders.
The loan is repaid through monthly deductions from your salary, spread over up to 10 years. It's designed to keep the repayments manageable rather than landing as one big cost.
If you leave before the loan is fully repaid, the outstanding balance is recovered from your terminal benefits. If you're nearing the end of your service, or thinking about a career change, it's worth planning for this properly rather than being caught out by it. See our mortgage and protection planning guide for more on planning around life changes like this.
The scheme is mainly intended for buying your main residence, particularly useful if you're a first-time buyer or relocating because of a posting.
That said, it does allow repeat use if you're required to move for a new posting, you can apply again, as long as the new property will be your main residence. It isn't designed for buy-to-let or property investment. If that's more what you're looking into, our limited company buy-to-let guide covers that territory instead.
If you're thinking about using the Forces Help to Buy Scheme, here's roughly how it goes:
Someone who actually understands armed forces applications, not just standard civilian ones.
Based on your budget, salary and eligibility, so you know roughly what you're working with.
Applications go through the Joint Personnel Administration (JPA) system.
Line up the loan approval, your property search, and your mortgage offer so they land together rather than in the wrong order.
We work with serving personnel and veterans on Forces Help to Buy applications and the mortgage that sits alongside it. Call 01422 354011 or use the form below.
Initial consultation free. A broker fee of £299 is payable if you choose to proceed following a formal mortgage offer. We may also receive commission from lenders. Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.
Get Forces Help to Buy AdviceThis article is for general information only and does not constitute personalised mortgage or financial advice. Please speak to an FCA-regulated adviser for recommendations based on your individual circumstances.
Woodhall Mortgages is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN 762513). As a whole-of-market mortgage broker, we consider mortgages from across the market, subject to lender criteria and product availability. A broker fee of £299 is payable if you choose to proceed following a formal mortgage offer. Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.
Buying a home or reviewing your mortgage can feel complicated, but it doesn’t have to be. A quick conversation can give you clarity on your options, your budget, and the next realistic steps. There is no obligation and no pressure, just straightforward guidance tailored to you. Complete the short form below and we will be in touch to help you move forward with confidence.
