Savings & Investments
Help to Buy ISA Calculator
Calculate the 25% government bonus on your Help to Buy ISA savings. See your total deposit fund for a first home purchase.
Closed to new accounts since 30 November 2019. Existing holders can save until 30 November 2029 and must claim the bonus before 1 December 2030. If you don't already have one, the Lifetime ISA is the better alternative.
Your details
How much you have already saved (max £12,000)
Maximum £200/month (£2400/year)
You can save until 30 November 2029
Your results
Help to Buy ISA Bonus on £12,000 Savings
Total deposit fund
£15,000
Government bonus
£3,000
- Your savings
- £12,000
- Max qualifying savings
- £12,000
- Total fund at completion
- £15,000
Breakdown
- Your savings
- £12,000
- Government bonus (25%)
- £3,000
- Total deposit fund
- £15,000
You've reached the maximum qualifying savings of £12,000. You'll receive the full £3,000 government bonus at completion.
Key rules
Help to Buy ISA: key facts
The Help to Buy ISA closed to new accounts on 30 November 2019. If you already have one, you can continue saving until 30 November 2029 and must claim the bonus before 1 December 2030. You can save up to £200 per month (plus £1,000 in the first month when opening), and the government adds a 25% bonus at completion.
The minimum savings to qualify for any bonus is £1,600 (giving a £400 bonus). The maximum bonus is £3,000, achieved on £12,000 of savings. The bonus is paid by your solicitor at legal completion, it cannot be used for the exchange deposit.
Property price limits
The property you buy must cost no more than £250,000 outside London, or £450,000 in London. It must be your first home, purchased with a mortgage, and used as your main residence, not a buy-to-let or holiday home.
These limits are notably lower than the Lifetime ISA's £450,000 national limit, which is one reason the LISA is generally considered the better option for first-time buyers who haven't yet opened either account.
Help to Buy ISA vs Lifetime ISA
Both accounts offer a 25% government bonus, but the Lifetime ISA has several advantages: a higher annual contribution limit (£4,000 vs £2,400), a higher property price limit (£450,000 everywhere), and the same bonus rate. You can hold both accounts simultaneously, but you can only use the government bonus from one of them for a first home purchase.
If you're yet to buy your first home and have both, compare the bonus amounts carefully before choosing which to use, in most cases the LISA bonus will be larger. See the Lifetime ISA calculator to compare your projected figures.
Related calculators
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
First-Time Buyer Guide
How Help to Buy ISAs work
A Help to Buy ISA was a government-backed savings account designed to help first-time buyers save for a deposit. The government added a 25% bonus on top of your savings when you used them to buy your first home. Although the scheme closed to new applicants in November 2019, existing account holders can continue saving and claiming the bonus until November 2029.
The 25% government bonus
For every £200 you save, the government adds £50, a 25% top-up. The minimum bonus is £400 (meaning you must have saved at least £1,600), and the maximum bonus is £3,000 (on savings of £12,000). You cannot claim the bonus directly into your bank account; it is paid by the government to your conveyancer when your property purchase completes, and is added to the funds used for the purchase. If your sale falls through, the bonus is returned to HMRC; it stays yours only when a purchase completes.
Eligibility and property limits
The bonus can only be used on a property costing up to £250,000 (or £450,000 in London). The property must be your only home, so you cannot use the bonus on a buy-to-let or a home you will rent out. Both buyers in a joint purchase can each hold a Help to Buy ISA and each claim the bonus, effectively doubling the maximum bonus to £6,000 between two first-time buyers. You must be a first-time buyer; anyone who has previously owned a residential property is not eligible.
How to continue saving if you already have one
If you opened a Help to Buy ISA before 30 November 2019, you can continue paying in up to £200 per month until 30 November 2029, when the scheme closes for further contributions. You must claim the bonus by 1 December 2030. The bonus claim is made through your solicitor or conveyancer using the government's Help to Buy ISA portal; you do not claim it directly. Make sure your conveyancer knows you have a Help to Buy ISA before exchange of contracts, as the process needs to be started before completion.
Help to Buy ISA vs Lifetime ISA
If you already have a Help to Buy ISA, you may be wondering whether to also open a Lifetime ISA (LISA). You can hold both, but you can only use the government bonus from one of them toward a property purchase, not both. The LISA has a higher property price limit of £450,000 (vs £250,000 for Help to Buy outside London), allows up to £4,000 per year (vs £2,400 for Help to Buy), and the bonus (also 25%) is paid monthly into the account rather than at completion. For most first-time buyers still saving, the LISA is now the better vehicle, but if you already have a Help to Buy ISA with a significant balance, continuing to fund it alongside a LISA may make sense.
Withdrawing without buying a home
You can withdraw your savings from a Help to Buy ISA at any time without penalty, as the account is a Cash ISA and the money is yours. However, if you withdraw for any reason other than buying a first home, you lose the right to the government bonus on the amount withdrawn. Unlike a Lifetime ISA, there is no withdrawal penalty or charge; you simply do not receive the bonus. This makes the Help to Buy ISA lower risk than the LISA for savers who are uncertain about buying.
Sources & methodology
Built and maintained by Tim, a personal finance enthusiast (not a financial adviser). Last reviewed April 2026. Rates and thresholds come from official UK government publications.
- GOV.UK: Individual Savings Accounts · ISA allowances, types and eligibility rules
- HMRC: Lifetime ISA · LISA bonus, withdrawal rules and limits
Figures are estimates only. This is not financial or tax advice. For help with your specific situation, speak to HMRC or a qualified adviser.