First-time help to hit home run

Property insiders continue to lobby for increased Government support for the industry to boost sales and support first-time buyers.

- Edited by DEBORAH STONE

Mortgage specialist Aldermore Bank, for instance, has campaigned for a stamp duty holiday on homes under £500,000.However, there are already Government-backed schemes that new buyers should investigate. These include Shared Ownership, known as Co-Own in Northern Ireland, First Homes in England, Scotland's Low-cost Initiative for First Time Buyers (LIFT) and Homebuy Wales. Until September there’s also Help to Buy Wales (gov.wales) on selected new-build homes up to £300,000.