1
Set a safe monthly budget
Use Compare to check the total monthly figure, then allow for council tax, energy, water, insurance, food, travel and debts. Keep some savings back for repairs and emergencies.
Forces Help to Buy
Home Buying Calculator
Built by a soldier, for soldiers. Compare properties, test overpayments and get the full picture — with straight answers, squaddie humour and no civilian waffle.
Step 1
Set your shared figures
Enter these once. They apply to every property and save automatically in this browser.
Funding
Buying costs
Changes save automatically
More actions
Opening Viber — summary is also on your clipboard
Help & calculator assumptions
The maths
- Mortgage needed = price − your cash − FHTB advance.
- Monthly mortgage uses the standard capital-and-interest repayment formula at your quoted rate.
- Monthly FHTB spreads the interest-free advance evenly over its repayment term.
- Total monthly = mortgage + FHTB repayment + charges + overpayment.
- Interest saved & years reduced compare your term with and without the overpayment, assuming the rate never changes.
- Own cash deposit = your cash contribution + stamp duty + legal, survey and moving costs from your assumptions above — the deposit can come from FHTB, but completion costs still need real cash on the day.
Forces Help to Buy rules
- Borrow up to 50% of annual salary, capped at £25,000, interest-free.
- Normally repaid through salary over up to 10 years.
- If you leave before it is repaid, the balance is recovered from terminal benefits.
- Eligibility and full conditions are in JSP 464 Vol 1 Pt 1 Ch 6 — confirm your entitlement through JPA before committing.
Stamp duty (England & NI)
- First-time buyers: 0% up to £300,000, 5% on £300,001–£500,000, no relief above £500,000.
- Standard rates otherwise: 0% to £125k, 2% to £250k, 5% to £925k, 10% to £1.5m, 12% above.
- Scotland (LBTT) and Wales (LTT) differ.
Planning tool only — not mortgage, tax or financial advice. Rates, lender criteria, early-repayment charges and fees must be checked before committing. Most fixed deals allow ~10% overpayment per year before early-repayment charges apply; the calculator flags overpayments above that.
Step 2
Compare properties
The key figures for comparing each property.
Choose a view
Yellow fields can be changed
Blue figures are calculated
| Property | Price | Your cash deposit | Mortgage rate | Mortgage term | FHTB repay term | Monthly charges | Monthly overpayment | Mortgage needed | Monthly mortgage | Monthly FHTB | Total before overpayment | Total monthly | Total years left to pay off | Stamp duty | Own cash deposit | Interest saved | Years reduced | Salary affordability | Fees and stamp duty | Loan-to-value |
|---|
Checks worth a look
Step 3Plan what to do next
Open the seven-step buying guide when you need it.
You do not need to understand everything at once. Work through these steps in order and ask for an explanation whenever something is unclear.
2
Check Forces Help to Buy on JPA
Use the JPA Self Service Application for FHTB to request pre-approval. Start at least six weeks before expected completion and do not treat the calculator’s figure as approval.
3
Get a mortgage Agreement in Principle
Speak to a mortgage adviser or lender. Tell them you intend to use FHTB, check that they accept it and ask what deposit, documents and monthly payment they expect.
4
View the property and ask questions
Check its condition, tenure, construction, parking, heating, broadband, service or estate charges and the seller’s chain. Do not rely only on the advert or photographs.
5
Make a careful offer
Make the offer through the estate agent and say it is subject to mortgage approval, survey and legal checks. An accepted offer is not the same as owning the home.
6
Arrange the mortgage, solicitor and survey
Submit the full mortgage application, instruct a conveyancer and choose a suitable survey. Ask the conveyancer to explain the title, searches, boundaries, lease or estate charges and anything unusual.
7
Exchange only when everything is ready
Before exchange, make sure the written mortgage offer and FHTB funding are confirmed, the survey and legal questions are resolved, your deposit is ready and your conveyancer says it is safe. Completion is the later day when the money moves and you receive the keys.
Do not rush: do not exchange contracts, give notice on accommodation, book removals or make other non-refundable commitments until your mortgage and FHTB funding are confirmed and your conveyancer gives the go-ahead.