Committee publication · Engagement document · 11 March 2026
Affordability of Home Ownership: Survey Analysis
From: Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee
Inquiry: Affordability of Home Ownership
Summary
This engagement document presents analysis of a survey conducted by the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee on affordability of home ownership, gathering 848 responses from October–November 2025. The survey captured experiences with government home ownership schemes among successful and unsuccessful applicants. Key findings show Shared Ownership dominates successful take-up (51.5%), while Lifetime ISA is paradoxically both easiest to access and most commonly unsuccessful. Over half of successful scheme users reported they could not have purchased without scheme support.
Key findings
- 583 respondents (69%) had experience with home ownership schemes; 460 (54%) successfully bought their first home using one.
- Shared Ownership was the most-used successful scheme (51.5%), but respondents rated it both more difficult and less helpful than other schemes.
- Lifetime ISA was rated the easiest to access and most helpful scheme overall, yet was the most commonly attempted unsuccessful scheme (56.7% of unsuccessful attempts).
- 53.3% of successful scheme users reported they could not have purchased their first home without affordable home ownership scheme support.
- 21 respondents who ultimately succeeded had previously failed with one scheme before switching to another; broader range of schemes used in later attempts.
Tone
FactualTopics
Key actors
Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee, UK Government (policy maker)
Notable line
“… they would not have been able to buy their first home without the help of an affordable home ownership scheme.”
Key Quotes
“53% said they would not have been able to buy their first home without the help of an affordable home ownership scheme.”
“Respondents found the Lifetime ISA both the easiest scheme to access, and the most helpful scheme”
“Although the most used scheme, respondents found Shared Ownership both more difficult and most unhelpful”
Source · parliament.uk record ↗