Help to Buy ISA bonus calculator
The Help to Buy ISA pays a government bonus of 25%, capped at £3,000, towards a first home under a £250,000 price cap (£450,000 in London), set out on gov.uk. The scheme closed to new savers on 30 November 2019, so only existing holders can still claim. This works out the estimated bonus from what has been saved.
Over the £250,000 cap: the bonus cannot be used on this property.
Can I still open a Help to Buy ISA?
No. The Help to Buy ISA closed to new savers on 30 November 2019, as set out on gov.uk. Only people who already held an account before that date can keep paying in and later claim the bonus.
How does the Help to Buy ISA bonus work?
The government adds a top-up of 25% on what has been saved, on gov.uk's Help to Buy ISA terms. The bonus counts savings up to £12,000, so the most anyone can receive is £3,000. A minimum of £1,600 has to be saved before any bonus is paid, which is the point where the bonus reaches its £400 floor. The bonus is claimed at completion and goes towards the home, not towards the exchange deposit.
Two property price caps decide whether the bonus can be used. Outside London the home must cost £250,000 or less, and in London the limit is £450,000, under the same gov.uk guidance. Above the relevant cap the savings and interest are still the saver's own, but the government bonus cannot be claimed for that purchase.
What would the bonus be on an example amount saved?
Saving £8,000 in a Help to Buy ISA gives an estimated bonus of £2,000, for an estimated £10,000 towards a first home. Saving up to £12,000 takes the bonus to its £3,000 maximum. On a £300,000 property outside London, which is under the £250,000 cap, the bonus could still be claimed by an existing account holder at completion.
Common questions
Can I still open a Help to Buy ISA?
No. The Help to Buy ISA closed to new savers on 30 November 2019. Only people who already held one can keep paying in, and they can claim the bonus up to a set deadline. If you do not have one, look at the Lifetime ISA instead, which pays a similar 25% bonus.
How big is the bonus?
The government adds 25% of what you have saved, up to a maximum bonus of £3,000. That ceiling is reached once your savings reach £12,000. On the £8,000 example the bonus is £2,000.
Is there a minimum before I get anything?
Yes. You need to have saved at least £1,600 to claim any bonus, which is the point where the 25% reaches the £400 minimum payout. Below that, no bonus is paid, so it is worth reaching the threshold before you buy.
What are the property price limits?
The bonus can only be used on a home worth up to £250,000 outside London, or up to £450,000 in London. If the property is over the relevant cap, you keep your savings and interest but the government bonus cannot be claimed towards that purchase.
When is the bonus paid?
At completion, not when you save. Your solicitor or conveyancer applies for the bonus and it goes towards the purchase, so it cannot form part of the deposit you put down at exchange. The money in the account itself is still yours to use for the deposit.
How does the Help to Buy ISA bonus work?
The government adds a top-up of 25% on savings up to £12,000, under gov.uk's Help to Buy ISA terms, so the maximum bonus is £3,000. A minimum of £1,600 needs to be saved before any bonus is paid. The bonus is claimed at completion and is added towards the home, and it is closed to new savers.
What would the bonus be on an example amount saved?
On £8,000 saved, the estimated bonus is £2,000, giving an estimated £10,000 towards a first home. Saving up to £12,000 would take the bonus to its £3,000 maximum. This applies only to an existing account opened before the scheme closed to new savers.
Sources & Rate Verification
Rates verified against official statutory guidance on 6 September 2026.