Affordable housing schemes

Properties on the affordable housing register may be available through different rent and home ownership schemes.

The affordable housing register does not include social housing, such as council or housing association homes. You can be registered for both social housing and affordable housing.

The affordable housing register does not affect your place on the social housing waiting list (the housing allocations scheme).

Apply for social housing on Birmingham Choice

Apply to join the affordable housing register

Affordable rent schemes

Intermediate or private rent

This option is provided by private landlords, with the maximum monthly rent capped at 80% of local market rents.

Rent to Buy

Rent to Buy is delivered by an approved provider. It helps a tenant to save toward a deposit through a period of discounted rent.

Once the deposit is saved, the tenant will have the option to buy the property.

Affordable home ownership schemes

Shared ownership

Under this scheme, a tenant purchases a portion of the home and rents the remainder of the home.

This provides a less expensive option than buying a property outright.

As the portion the tenant owns increases, the rent on the remainder goes down.

Shared ownership schemes are only available to those with a maximum gross household income of £80,000 per year.

Shared equity

With a shared equity scheme, the buyer can secure 100% ownership of the property with a mortgage and a small deposit.

The initial deposit is typically 5% of the property price, and the buyer must top this up to around 20% with a low-cost or no-cost equity loan.

The remaining cost of the property is covered by a mortgage.

Low-cost home ownership

Low-cost home ownership allows single people with a maximum gross income of £40,000 per year, or a couple or household with a maximum gross household income of £60,000 per year, to buy a home discounted by a minimum of 20% from the full market value.

First Homes

For first-time buyers with a maximum gross household income of £80,000 per year, the First Homes scheme provides an option to buy a home priced at £250,000 or less, with a minimum discount of 30% from the full market value.

Page last updated: 7 August 2026