Low-cost Initiative for First Time Buyers (LIFT)

Cost of living crisis: find out what help is available

Warning

LIFT Open Market Shared Equity Scheme Update

The OMSE scheme has now closed for 2023/24 as the budget has been fully utilised. The scheme will not be taking any new applications until a decision has been made on budgets for 2024/25.

Since 2007, our Low-cost Initiative for First Time Buyers (LIFT) shared equity schemes have helped over 12,000 people to buy a home.

There are two LIFT schemes:

  • the Open Market Shared Equity (OMSE) scheme helps people buy a home – within certain price thresholds – for sale on the open market
  • the New Supply Shared Equity scheme (NSSE), which helps people buy a new-build home from a council or housing association. Although buyers will own the property outright, our interests will be covered by a standard security on their property

More information for first-time buyers is available on the mygov.scot website:

Guidance for registered social landlords, councils and property professionals:

Monitoring information

We collect information to monitor the Open Market Shared Equity (OMSE) scheme.  Data collected from sales log forms is used to summarise the characteristics of households purchasing homes through the scheme.  These data are not Official Statistics or National Statistics and they have been collated by Scottish Government as management information for the purposes of policy monitoring only.

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