LIFT scheme mortgage adviser in Scotland
The Scottish Government's LIFT Open Market Shared Equity (OMSE) scheme can pay between 10% and 40% of the price of a home you choose on the open market. I help first-time buyers across Scotland get the right mortgage in place, apply to the scheme and get through to settlement.
2026/27 status: open for applications
Approved buyers get up to 12 weeks to find a home, and settlement must take place by 31 March 2027. Applications depend on the scheme's budget, so it's worth starting early.
Last checked 12 October 2026. Source: Link Group, which runs the scheme for the Scottish Government.
How LIFT OMSE works
- The Scottish Government contributes 10% to 40% of the home's value or purchase price, whichever is lower.
- You pay the rest with a mortgage and your own savings. You own the home outright and your name is on the title deeds.
- The government's share is secured on the property. When you sell, the same percentage of the sale price goes back to the Scottish Government.
- You can buy more of the government's share whenever you can afford to.
- The size of the government's share depends on how much you can contribute. Your minimum contribution is set out in your Passport Approval Letter.
An illustration
You buy a £150,000 home and fund 75% (£112,500) with your mortgage and savings. The Scottish Government funds the other 25% (£37,500). If you later sell for £160,000, 25% of the sale price (£40,000) goes back to the government.
Figures are for illustration only. Your share is set by the scheme based on your circumstances.
Who can apply
The scheme is open to:
- First-time buyers
- Social renters (council or housing association tenants)
- Disabled people who can show a housing need
- Members of the armed forces
- Veterans who left the armed forces in the last two years
- Widows, widowers and partners of service personnel who lost their life in service in the last two years
- People over 60 with a housing need, who don't need a mortgage
You must also:
- Be unable to afford a suitable home without the scheme's help
- Not own another property when you buy
- Take out a mortgage, unless you're over 60 with a housing need
2026/27 maximum price thresholds
Each area has a maximum price, which depends on the number of apartments. An apartment is a habitable room such as a bedroom or living room. Kitchens, bathrooms, box rooms, utility rooms, hallways and glass conservatories don't count, and neither does an open-plan kitchen/living room. So a two-bedroom flat with a separate living room is three apartments.
| Area | 2 apt | 3 apt | 4 apt | 5 apt | 6 apt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stirling – Urban | £120,000 | £155,000 | £205,000 | £350,000 | £410,000 |
| Stirling – Rural | £140,000 | £185,000 | £275,000 | £385,000 | £475,000 |
| Falkirk | £85,000 | £130,000 | £175,000 | £265,000 | £325,000 |
| Clackmannanshire | £90,000 | £130,000 | £200,000 | £280,000 | £320,000 |
| Fife – South | £95,000 | £125,000 | £180,000 | £270,000 | £330,000 |
| Fife – North | £135,000 | £200,000 | £240,000 | £300,000 | £400,000 |
| Dundee City | £90,000 | £120,000 | £160,000 | £230,000 | £275,000 |
| Perth & Kinross | £105,000 | £155,000 | £215,000 | £275,000 | £335,000 |
| Glasgow City | £135,000 | £170,000 | £205,000 | £290,000 | £410,000 |
| Edinburgh, City of | £185,000 | £235,000 | £325,000 | £415,000 | £585,000 |
| West Lothian | £130,000 | £170,000 | £205,000 | £245,000 | £355,000 |
Source: Scottish Government, Open Market Shared Equity thresholds, updated 11 August 2026. The full table covers every area of Scotland. You can pay over the Home Report valuation from your own funds, as long as the price stays within the threshold.
How to apply, step by step
- Talk it through with me. We check what you can borrow, what you can put in, and whether LIFT is the right route.
- Get a mortgage decision in principle. It has to be from a lender that accepts LIFT. Link Group currently lists 14, including Bank of Scotland, Barclays, Halifax, Lloyds, Nationwide, NatWest, Royal Bank of Scotland, Skipton, TSB, Leeds, Scottish Building Society and three credit unions.
- Apply to Link Group with your documents. These include three months' bank statements and savings statements, three months' payslips (or your latest accounts or SA302 if self-employed), any benefit award letters, and proof of where you live now. Link aims to assess complete applications within five working days.
- Receive your Passport Approval Letter. It gives you up to 12 weeks to find a home and confirms your minimum contribution.
- Check the property before you offer. Send Link the Home Report, the advert link, your solicitor's details and your maximum offer price.
- Complete your mortgage and settle. I handle the full mortgage application and work with your solicitor through to settlement, which must be by 31 March 2027 for this year's scheme.
How I help with LIFT
- I work out how much you can borrow and how to structure your mortgage and contribution.
- I find a LIFT-approved lender whose criteria fit your situation.
- I get your decision in principle and help you prepare the document pack Link needs.
- I deal with the lender and your solicitor so the dates line up.
- My fee for mortgage advice is £300, confirmed before you go ahead.
LIFT scheme FAQs
Yes. The Open Market Shared Equity scheme is open for 2026/27, and approved purchases must settle by 31 March 2027. Applications depend on the scheme's budget, so the scheme can close early. I update this page whenever the status changes.
You need to put in what you can from savings alongside your mortgage. Your minimum contribution is set in your Passport Approval Letter, and lenders also have their own deposit rules. I'll tell you what's likely to apply in your case before you apply.
No. The Scottish Government doesn't allow the First Homes Fund to be combined with LIFT. If you qualify for both, I can help you compare which works out better for you.
Yes, from your own funds, as long as the price stays within the maximum threshold for that area and property size. The government's share is based on the lower of the valuation and the price.
The same percentage of the sale price goes back to the Scottish Government. If the government holds 25%, it receives 25% of whatever the home sells for.
Yes. You can increase your share whenever it suits you, up to owning the home outright.
There isn't a fixed income limit. You need to show that you can't afford a suitable home without the scheme's help, and that you can afford the mortgage and running costs of owning a home.
Thinking about LIFT? See what might be possible
Tell me a bit about your situation and I'll come back to you within 24 hours, usually the same day, with an honest view of whether LIFT could work for you. It won't affect your credit score.
Are you buying on your own or with someone?
This page is general information about the LIFT scheme, not personal advice. Scheme rules are set by the Scottish Government and can change.