Industry news
Help to Buy review highlights impact on housing supply, NFB says
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government review of Help to Buy has found that the scheme increased housing supply in England by 15 %, with the National Federation of Builders( NFB) calling for the return of a government-backed lending scheme for housebuyers.
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government( MHCLG) published its review of Help to Buy on 15 September 2026, concluding that the scheme delivered“ very high value for money” and had a positive impact on housing supply.
The review found that more than 328,000 first-time buyers used Help to Buy to purchase a home.
It also estimated that the scheme generated £ 25.1bn in net present social value, with the majority of this attributed to its contribution to increasing housing supply.
Help to Buy review links buyer demand to housing supply
Richard Beresford, chief executive of the NFB, said:“ This is the first period in some time where we do not have a government backed lending scheme for housebuyers.
“ Despite the critics, Help to Buy was incredibly successful for the taxpayer, buyers, and housebuilders and to help solve the housing crisis.
“ Its return is much needed, not just to help satisfy housing demand but it will also provide much needed confidence and competition in the mortgage market.”
Help to Buy was introduced to support first-time buyers purchasing new homes, offering a 5 % deposit option alongside an equity loan of up to 20 % of a property’ s value, interest-free for the first five years.
The scheme closed to new applicants in 2022 following financial and administrative challenges, alongside concerns that it was contributing to higher property values.
Help to Buy increased housing supply by 15 %
The government’ s review found that Help to Buy contributed to a 15 % increase in housing supply over the course of the scheme, which it attributed to greater market confidence among developers.
The findings provide a constructionfocused element to the review, with the NFB arguing that buyer support can influence demand for new homes and, in turn, provide greater certainty for housebuilders bringing developments forward.
The review also found that 37 % of Help to Buy buyers said they could not have purchased a property without the scheme, while one in five first-time buyer purchases in England used Help to Buy.
The NFB points to the relatively small share of new-build homes within the wider housing market when assessing the scheme’ s impact on house prices.
Rico Wojtulewicz, director of policy and market insight at the NFB, said:“ 37 % of buyers said they could not have bought a property without the support of Help to Buy.
A fifth of first-time buyer purchases in England used it and with new build making up only 10 % of sales, it was not the mechanism for price rises as some critics would have us believe- houses price rises
are down to a lack of supply.
“ It may have pushed up the price of flats, but this is due to the lack of supply and massive demand. Prices set by the market and lenders were extremely competitive during the Help to Buy period, with interest rates dropping below 2 %.
NFB calls for new housebuyer support scheme
Wojtulewicz added:“ Help to Buy, or something like it must return and if the Government fears unintended consequences, it could introduce it in stages, perhaps on smaller sites, only for houses or by setting qualifying criteria, such as those with low savings, experiencing overcrowding or having local connections.”
The £ 25.1bn estimated net present social value attributed to Help to Buy does not include the effects of house-price changes. The review also did not monetise potential additional benefits including construction jobs, improved wellbeing or environmental gains associated with newer homes.
The industry response places the review within the wider challenge of increasing housing supply, with the federation arguing that a replacement scheme could provide greater confidence for housebuilders while supporting demand for new homes.
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