For employersCommunity
Join us
Mortgages

Forces Help to Buy

UK service personnel can use Forces Help to Buy to access an interest-free MOD loan of up to half their annual salary, covering deposits, legal fees and other costs.
Check our ratesSpeak to our team
Employer partnership with London Mutual Credit Union – salary deduction scheme illustration

Understanding Forces Help to Buy (FHtB)

Forces Help to Buy lets eligible Regular personnel borrow an interest-free advance of up to 50% of annual salary (including specialist pay), capped at £25,000. The advance can be used towards your deposit and eligible home-buying costs such as solicitor’s and estate agent fees. It’s repaid via payroll, typically over 10 years.

Who's eligible for Forces Help to Buy

  • Regular personnel in the Royal Navy, Royal Marines, British Army or RAF
  • Have completed the minimum service period and have more than six months left to serve
  • Meet medical category rules (exceptions may apply)

Reservists and MPGS are not eligible for the scheme.

Where and when you can buy

Properties must be in the UK. You can apply while posted overseas.

Buying jointly with a civilian partner is fine — we’ll assess both incomes fairly.

To get a mortgage with London Mutual, you’ll both need to meet our membership criteria. If you already live together, you’re covered.

How the loan works

  • Get an interest-free salary advance of up to 50% of annual salary (up to £25,000).

  • The MOD will deduct this from your pay over up to ten years.

  • If you leave the Forces early, any outstanding balance is recovered from terminal benefits

  • Remortgaging to reduce repayments or secure a new rate

  • You can let, sell or remortgage, subject to your mortgage lender’s conditions and the rules set out in JSP 464

How we can help UK service personnel buy a home

As a mutual, we count thousands of service personnel among our members. We understand the realities of Armed Forces life — and we’ll do everything we can to help you make home ownership happen.

Support for Forces Help to Buy

We’re set up to make lending decisions based on your successful application for a Forces Help to Buy loan, and will work with your solicitor to ensure the process runs as smoothly as possible.

Overseas & posted welcome

If you're temporarily based abroad but buying in England and Wales, we can work with you across timezones to make it happen.

Recognising your whole income

Military pay can often be complex, with allowances, and other extras. We'll work with you to build up a fair picture of what you can afford, looking at the past twelve months' earnings.

No arrangement fees

Relocation is costly. We don’t add arrangement fees — and you're welcome to make unlimited overpayments too.

How it works

Check you're eligible

Confirm you meet the service length, remaining service and medical criteria for FHTB. Check with your chain of command if needed.

Apply for FHtB

Use JPA Self-Service (Pre-Approval for FHTB). No permanent JPA access? Submit Form E035 to the FHTB Section. Your application can take up to six weeks.

Speak to us

When you've been approved for FHtB, book a call with us to discuss your options, or go ahead and apply for a decision in principle online.

Completion

The MOD advance is paid at completion and can be put towards your deposit or solicitor's fees. You get the keys and begin payroll repayments over the agreed term.

Why choose London Mutual?

We're one of three credit unions to partner with the Ministry of Defence, and the only one to offer mortgages. 

  • Member-owned – a financial co-operative run for the benefit of our 42,397 members, not for profit.

  • Community roots – serving our communities in South London  for over 40 years, and members of HM Forces for 10 years.

  • Workplace partnerships – saving and borrowing direct from pay with the NHS, armed forces & public sector

  • Safe & regulated – Authorised by the FCA, with members’ savings protected up to £85,000.

Next steps

Book a call with a mortgage advisor

Give one of our mortgage advisors a call for a no-obligation chat about your options and how we could help
Book a call

Get a decision in principle

Already know what you need? Complete our online form, and get a decision in principle in as little as one working day.
Request a decision in principle

Forces Help to Buy FAQs

Got questions? We've answered some common ones to help you get started. If you need more information, our Help Centre is just a click away.
Visit help centre

  • How much can I borrow through Forces Help to Buy?

    You can borrow up to 50% of your annual salary (including specialist pay), capped at £25,000. It’s an interest-free advance designed to help with your deposit and eligible home-buying costs such as legal fees.

  • Who is eligible for the Forces Help to Buy scheme?

    Regular members of the Royal Navy, Royal Marines, British Army, or RAF who have completed the minimum service period, have more than six months left to serve, and meet medical category requirements can apply. Reservists and MPGS are not eligible.

  • Who runs the scheme?

    The scheme is operated and administered by the Ministry of Defence, not by London Mutual Credit Union. We’re an approved lender that can work alongside your MOD advance to help you secure a mortgage on your chosen property.

  • How do I apply?

    Apply via JPA Self-Service (“Pre-Approval for FHTB”). If you don’t have permanent JPA access, you can complete Form E035 and submit it to the Forces Help to Buy Section at least six weeks before completion.

  • Can I apply if I'm posted overseas?

    Yes. You can apply while serving abroad, as long as the property you’re buying or building is in the UK. We’re experienced in working with service personnel stationed overseas.

  • How is the salary advance repaid?

    Repayments are made through monthly payroll deductions over up to 10 years. If you leave the Armed Forces before the loan is fully repaid, the outstanding balance is normally recovered from your terminal benefits.

Visit help centre