Low-cost Initiative for First Time Buyers (LIFT)
Cost of living crisis: find out what help is available
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
The Open Market Shared Equity scheme has closed for new applications for the 2024 to 2025 financial year
More information for first-time buyers is available on the mygov.scot website:
Guidance for registered social landlords, councils and property professionals:
- New Supply Shared Equity scheme: administrative procedures for registered social landlords
- Open Market Shared Equity scheme: administrative procedures
- After-sale shared equity procedures: guidance
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.