We know there are many borrowers that can afford ongoing mortgage payments, but can’t access a mortgage due to their deposit, income, or both.

But first-time buyers don’t need just one solution. They need a range of options that match their own diverse needs, including innovative mortgages and targeted developer incentives, as well as affordable homeownership schemes.

Shared ownership is the most established and widely available affordable homeownership route for many aspiring buyers. After the end of Help to Buy in England and Scotland, shared ownership is well positioned to fill the vacuum, especially in the south of England, where affordability is stretched thin.

We know the demand for shared ownership is there. Many current renters would prefer a gradual route into ownership if it were widely available and easier to understand. But supply remains constrained. Much of today’s shared ownership delivery is linked to grant funding and specific development pipelines, which doesn’t meet the full level of demand.

The opportunity now is to scale shared ownership responsibly, with clear information, consistent standards and collaboration between lenders, providers and advisers. If we get that right, shared ownership can play an even bigger role in helping more people take their next step onto the property ladder.

And that’s why broker advice is so important to the growth of this market.

Strong demand means there’s a greater need than ever for clear, confident advice that helps first-time buyers understand all their options, including shared ownership.

Shared ownership is complex and comes with rent and service charges on top of the mortgage. This doesn’t mean it’s unsuitable for first-time buyer clients, it just means the quality of advice, clarity of information and consistency of standards are vital to customer outcomes and long‑term trust in the tenure.

As this sector grows and becomes more mainstream, the conversation needs to move beyond awareness and into good decision‑making.

You can help your clients by:

• Framing comparisons correctly. For many, the real comparison is not shared ownership versus full ownership, but versus continuing to rent or delaying homeownership, for years, while trying to save a larger deposit.
• Being clear about how shared ownership works, now and at the point of staircasing, remortgaging and selling. Explain all the upfront costs and run through the different scenarios, so your client has the confidence to make an informed decision.
• Managing expectations around process and timelines. Shared ownership cases involve more stakeholders and scheme‑specific requirements. Even where a customer is a strong fit, additional documentation and coordination are common, and setting expectations early helps avoid frustration later.
• Considering lender experience. The difference between a smooth shared ownership journey and a slow one often comes down to how well scheme requirements are understood and how quickly potential issues are identified and resolved.

At Halifax Intermediaries, we’ve supported new build and affordable housing schemes, including shared ownership, for decades. These routes matter for customers who need practical alternatives to full ownership.

We lend up to 95% of the customer’s share for both houses and flats, subject to scheme requirements, and provide clear guidance and scheme summaries through our New Build Hub. We want to do everything we can to help brokers place cases with confidence.

We also recognise that affordable housing cases involve more work, more explanation, more coordination and more moving parts. That’s why we introduced minimum proc fees on affordable housing cases, to better reflect the advice effort involved.

Our support is about more than our products. It is about trusted service, years of experience and a commitment to keep cases moving by providing clarity of information and consistency of processing.

Shared ownership isn’t a silver bullet, but it is a proven and practical route to homeownership for many, and it also supports the delivery of new housing.

We believe brokers are key to helping aspiring first-time buyers understand more about shared ownership and whether it suits their needs.

It’s a complex product and it doesn’t suit everyone, but it can mean the difference between renting and owning for so many people. That’s why trusted, professional advice is so important.

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