Affordable housing schemes aim to make buying your first home or moving up the property ladder more accessible for those that cannot afford to buy a property on the open market. At Wigan Council we believe that everyone should have the opportunity to buy and live in a home they can afford. With the Increases in house prices across the borough we can see this is creating an affordability pressure for local people meaning getting on the housing ladder is becoming tougher. As part of our Deal 2030 ‘A Home for All’ we are committed to ensuring we have a range of ownership options for all ages.
Affordable homes options
There are various types of affordable housing schemes including:
Registered Provider Schemes
Wigan Council Schemes
Additional Options
Please use this useful Government tool to see which scheme might be most suitable for you and your household.
Tips on buying an affordable home
Buying a property is a big decision. There are several things you should think about when looking to purchase a new home:
- Choosing the right home – What property would suit your needs? When are you able to move in? Would you prefer a new build, or to possibly save money on an older home? (Remember affordable homes remain affordable after resale and therefore the original discount percentage will still apply)
- Mortgage affordability – When applying for a mortgage you need to check how much you are can borrow from providers, and the affordability of the monthly repayments. This will help you decide what affordable scheme will suit you. A qualified financial advisor will be able to assist you in evaluating your mortgage affordability
- Getting a deposit – Mortgage providers will ask you to pay a lump sum towards the cost of the property. This is usually at least around 10%-20% however with affordable homes the amount you need to save for a deposit is decreased. Please see our webpages to understand the different deposit options what you may be able to afford
- Other additional costs, such as solicitor’s fees, stamp duty, valuation fees, legal fees
- Running costs – once you own the property, you will usually be liable for any repairs and maintenance work, and the associated costs. Other costs, such as ground rent, service charges, insurance, etc. may also apply
- The process of buying a house – Depending on the scheme you choose either the registered provider or Wigan Council can help you throughout the process and guide you through the steps you need to take to purchase your new home.
Affordable Home Ownership for people with disabilities or extra support needs
It is possible to buy your own home, but you would need to speak to an organisation that specialises in home ownership for people with long-term disabilities. HOLD stands for Home Ownership for People with Long-term Disabilities. It is a government scheme designed to help people with a long-term disability buy any home for sale on a Shared Ownership basis. You can only apply for the HOLD scheme in England and if there are homes available in the other shared ownership schemes don’t meet your needs. The Government website (external link) gives helpful advice and eligibility criteria.
Current Housing Market
For more Information regarding the housing market across our borough please view our Housing Intelligence Dashboard.
Please Note: All properties discussed are not Council Housing, if you wish to review or apply for Council Housing then you should visit Council Homes webpage.
Alternatively if you are looking to review your rental options, please visit our dedicated webpages. For affordable rent options please visit our New Build Webpages.
For private rent please visit our Private Housing webpages.
If you are a developer looking for further Information on funding, where to find suitable land or information on our planning system, please see our visit our Developer hub webpages.