I'm in the Military
Serving your country? There's help for you too.
Can armed forces personnel get help buying a home? Yes. Forces Help to Buy lets eligible regular service personnel borrow up to 50% of salary (capped at £25,000) interest-free towards a deposit, and specialist key worker mortgage criteria and shared ownership priority can stack on top.
Written by Patricia Ogunfeibo, solicitor (non-practising) and Chartered Tax Adviser with over 40 years in property.
Prefer to listen? Open any guide and use the audio player at the top to hear it read aloud.
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What usually gets in the way
The obstacles that come up most often for this group, and what actually moves each one.
Postings make the choice of location harder than the finance
You may buy somewhere you will not live in continuously. That changes what matters: rental demand, resale liquidity and travel time to likely future bases carry more weight than they would for a civilian buyer. Deciding whether this is a long term home or an asset you may let out shapes every other decision.
The advance is a loan, and repayment starts quickly
Forces Help to Buy is interest free, but it is repaid from your salary over a set period, and the outstanding balance is treated as a commitment. Factor the repayment into your monthly budget from the start rather than treating the advance as free money.
Lenders count the advance as a commitment, not as income
It helps with the deposit and it reduces the surplus income a lender sees. Some lenders handle this comfortably, others less so. This is a specific point to raise with a broker early, because it can change which lenders are worth approaching.
Letting your home out needs the lender to agree
If a posting means you cannot live in the property, you will usually need consent to let from your lender. Ask about that policy before you choose the mortgage, not after the posting order arrives.
Service accommodation makes your address history look unusual
Frequent moves, overseas postings and a BFPO address can produce a thin or fragmented credit file. Making sure you appear on the electoral roll where possible and keeping your address history accurate with the credit reference agencies both help.
Allowances are treated inconsistently between lenders
X Factor payments, flying pay, submarine pay and other allowances may be counted in full, in part or not at all. Bring 12 months of pay statements so a broker can present the full picture.
Routes worth checking
Eligibility rules differ by nation and sometimes by local authority. Always check the current rules for where you plan to buy.
Forces Help to Buy
An interest free advance of up to 50 percent of salary, capped at £25,000, towards a deposit and purchase costs for eligible regular service personnel. Eligibility, the application route and the repayment period are set by the MOD, so confirm the current terms through official channels.
Armed forces friendly and professional mortgage criteria
Several lenders have specific policies for service personnel, covering allowances, BFPO addresses and consent to let. A whole of market broker who handles forces cases will know which ones.
Shared ownership
Some providers give armed forces personnel priority for shared ownership homes. Buying a share lowers the deposit and mortgage needed. Check the rent, service charge, resale rules and staircasing costs.
First Homes
A discount on eligible new build homes for local first time buyers. Local connection rules can be applied flexibly for service personnel in some areas, so it is worth asking the local authority.
Deposit savings alongside the advance
A Lifetime ISA (e.g. a LISA) adds a government bonus on eligible contributions towards a first home, with a withdrawal penalty if used for anything else. Combining savings with the advance reduces the loan and the rate tier.
How the advance and its repayment work together
An illustration using made up figures to show the mechanism. Not a quotation, a prediction or advice.
- Salary
- £34,000
- Advance available at 50 percent, capped at £25,000
- £17,000
- Purchase price
- £190,000
- Loan needed using the advance as deposit
- £173,000
- Loan to value
- Around 91%
- Monthly salary deduction to repay the advance
- Counted as a commitment by lenders
The advance improves the loan to value and reduces the surplus income a lender sees, which is why the two effects have to be looked at together. Confirm current MOD terms and caps through official channels. Illustration only, not financial or mortgage advice.
Common questions
Straight answers to what people in this situation ask most. General information, not financial, mortgage, tax or legal advice.
What is Forces Help to Buy?
An interest free advance of up to 50 percent of your salary, capped at £25,000, towards a deposit and purchase costs for eligible regular service personnel. It is repaid from your salary over a set period, and the outstanding balance is treated as a commitment by mortgage lenders. Eligibility, the application route and the repayment period are set by the MOD, so confirm the current terms through official channels.
Can I get a mortgage with a BFPO address?
Yes, though frequent moves, overseas postings and a BFPO address can produce a thin or fragmented credit file. Several lenders have specific policies for service personnel covering allowances, BFPO addresses and consent to let. Appearing on the electoral roll where possible and keeping your address history accurate with the credit reference agencies both help.
Do lenders count military allowances?
Inconsistently. X Factor payments, flying pay, submarine pay and other allowances may be counted in full, in part or not at all depending on the lender. Bring 12 months of pay statements so a broker can present the full picture and approach the lenders that count your actual income.
What happens to my home if I am posted away?
If a posting means you cannot live in the property, you will usually need consent to let from your lender. Ask about that policy before you choose the mortgage, not after the posting order arrives, because lenders differ on how easily they grant it.
Does the Forces Help to Buy advance affect my mortgage application?
It helps with the deposit, and the repayment is counted as a commitment, which reduces the surplus income a lender sees. Some lenders handle this comfortably and others less so, so raise it with a broker early. The two effects have to be looked at together.
Your next steps
- See what lenders count as affordable
- Read the deposit alternatives guide in full
- Read the overview of every government scheme first
- Read the full step-by-step guide to buying a house in the UK
- Score how mortgage ready you are with the free Readiness Check
- Test a monthly payment that still works with the advance repayment in the Monthly Budget Builder
- Plan your deposit timeline in the Deposit Builder
- Add up legal fees, survey and stamp duty with the Total Cost to Complete calculator
- Compare service accommodation or renting against buying with the Rent vs Buy calculator
Other pathways
Does another situation fit you better? Jump straight to it.
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