I bought £245k first-home using £13k free cash from little-known scheme – six steps you need to take
The chef bought his two-bedroom apartment for £244,995 in Hythe, Kent, in October 2024.
4
4
4
4
He used the Deposit Unlock Scheme by housebuilder Barratt Homes, which contributed 5% (£13,000) to his deposit.
Jack told The Sun: 'I've wanted my own place for as long as I can remember, but I didn't want to rent as I think it's dead money - and I don't want to line a landlord's pockets.
'However, I was a bit concerned about how I'd buy a place on my own because all you ever hear is that it's impossible.'
'It was when I was scrolling on Facebook on a Sunday night in September last year that I saw the apartment in Hythe which was part of the Deposit Unlock Scheme.
'I'd already been saving hard for a deposit and after doing some quick sums in my head, I realised that I had enough money and I couldn't believe that I might actually be able to buy my first home sooner than I had realised.
'I bought my apartment within 24 hours and moved in four weeks later.'
The Barratt Homes scheme enables first-time buyers and existing homeowners in England, Wales and Scotland to buy select new-build homes with a 5% deposit.
To apply for the scheme, you can follow some simple steps. Begin by searching online for the range of brand-new home s
Once you've found one you like, get in touch with a Sales Adviser who will put you in contact with a New Homes Mortgage Adviser who will help you arrange your mortgage using Deposit Unlock.
It provides customers with competitively priced mortgage products up to £750,000.
5 things to check before applying for a mortgage
Using Deposit Unlock means that you are limited to mortgage lenders who have joined the Deposit Unlock Scheme.
Deposit Unlock can't be used in conjunction with any other schemes.
To boost his deposit, Jack also contributed £16,400 of his own savings which he'd put aside over a period of eight months.
While he was saving, Jack worked solidly for eight months - six or seven days a week on two different cheffing contracts.
Until he moved into his place, he lived with his mum while he worked two jobs in Folkestone and Dungeness.
He saved half of his wages each month, which was £2,400 and used the remainder of his salary to pay his bills which included rent to his mum (£200), phone bill, car insurance and spending money.
Jack set up a savings account and as soon as he was paid, he put half of his salary into it and didn't touch it.
He said: 'I set myself a strict budget each month, and the first thing I did was put away my savings, then paid my bills.
'Anything that was left over was for me to enjoy - but if I blew it all in the first couple of weeks, then I didn't go out.
'It meant that there were quite a few nights where I sat on the sofa on my own.
'My focus had to be the long-term goal of buying my first home, rather than the short-term goal of going out every single weekend.
'It was tough at times, especially if I thought I was missing out on something special, but I'm so happy that I am already on the property ladder.
He continues: 'It is possible to buy as long as people are willing to make sacrifices - but I also realise I was lucky that I was able to live with my mum while saving.
'My friends and family are really chuffed for me, although initially they were concerned that it might not be affordable.
'Once they realised it was and I was so determined, they left me to it.
'While I was saving I also restricted the amount of money I spent on things like new clothes or food out which was tough as I like to spend."
Jack's six steps to get on the housing ladder
It's a big deal to buy your first home, but don't stress about it while it's going through, Jack explains. Take it step by step and trust the people around you.
Look around for deals and incentives as there are more available than you might think.
Just do it: the younger the better, before you've got kids and other commitments!
Be prepared to make sacrifices, but keep your eye on your goal and it will be worth it.
Don't let anyone else detract you from your goal. When I was saving, I had to miss out on a lot of nights out with my mates but I was determined that I wouldn't ever dip into my savings pot.
Set up a standing order so that your money goes into your savings the moment you get paid.
Reduce your costs as much as possible. If it means moving back in with your parents in the short term while you're saving, do it!
Jack got a 30-year mortgage at a fixed rate of 4.79% and has found the monthly repayments of £1,089 are more than manageable.
He continued: 'I love where I live, it's so peaceful and I can do what I like and come and go when I like, it's the best feeling ever.
'My mum pops round fairly regularly which is nice.'
Jack already has his eye on his next property.
He explained: 'I really like living here and love the look of the three-bedroom houses on the estate, so I think one of those will be my next purchase.
'I believe that anybody can do it, as long as you're prepared to make sacrifices and work hard for what you want.
'My family were not in the position to pay for my deposit so it was down to me to graft for it, but it can be done if you set your mind to it - if I can do it, anybody can.
'Working seven days a week for eight months was pretty hard going, but it was worth it.
'When I was knackered, and facing the prospect of yet another long shift, I just kept thinking about walking into my own place and closing my front door.
'I've reduced my hours slightly now, and I'm working five days - but if I have to increase them again in order to save for my next home, then I will.
'I don't have any issues with working for what I want.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
Chelsea fans rage after being unable to buy tickets for opening match despite paying £60 fee
CHELSEA fans are in uproar after failing to secure tickets for the club's opening game of the Premier League season. Some Blues supporters trying to get seats for the August 17 clash with Crystal Palace found themselves with tens of thousands of people ahead of them in a queue - despite paying up to £60 for a premium membership. 2 But others backed the new system because it at least gave a good indication of their chances of buying a ticket, rather than keeping them hanging on for a long time only to be disappointed. Chelsea released seats for the Palace game for sale to 'True Blue' and "Junior Blue" members at 10am on Thursday morning, with thousands logging on and being given a position in the queue by club partners Ticketmaster. And fans were quick to let their rage out on social media. One posted: "Waste of a £60 membership. Fix yourself up Chelsea." A another wrote: "Membership system is a joke at Chelsea now." One fan asked: "Can I refund my membership? This was by far the worst decision by Chelsea." Another said: "So Chelsea need to seriously do something about these memberships." While a further supporter fumed: "I don't get it. Purchase membership for £60 and can't even get in." The new True Blue scheme was already controversial. Last season, members paid a flat £35 annual fee for the right to try to buy tickets for home games. Moment Todd Boehly makes incredible promise to Chelsea fans after stunning Club World Cup triumph But Blues bosses not only increased the fee for the basic membership to £40 for 2025/26, but also introduced the new premium True Blue tier which costs £60 and gives priority over standard membership. The £60 is small beer compared to the £4,000 charge that Manchester United supremo Sir Jim Ratcliffe reportedly wants to charge fans for the right to buy a season ticket at United's future new stadium. Yet the result is that Chelsea fans who want a realistic chance of seeing their team at Stamford Bridge have to pay £25 more than before. The Chelsea Supporters' Trust last month accused the club's owners of exploiting loyalty with a number of changes to ticketing policy. The huge demand for tickets only underlines the need for the Blues to increase their home capacity, either by redeveloping the Bridge or building a new 60,000-seater stadium elsewhere.
The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
Alexander Isak eyes Newcastle exit with Liverpool and Chelsea monitoring situation
Alexander Isak wants to explore options at other clubs and a transfer away from Newcastle United, potentially throwing Eddie Howe 's summer plans into chaos. The 25-year-old was not included in last week's friendly defeat to Celtic due to "speculation", and has now not travelled to Singapore for pre-season due to a thigh injury. And Newcastle have been made aware that Isak is keen to consider his future elsewhere. The Independent has also been told that Howe had already privately told prominent figures at the club this summer that he was concerned about the player's situation. That view, surrounding Isak's desire to explore a move away, also precedes reports of Liverpool 's public interest last week. Newcastle's position remains the same, however, which is that Isak is not for sale. Ad their stance has been bolstered by the fact that he still has three years left on his contract, with no new contract offered at this time. An offer in the region of £150m may change that, though, especially with the knowledge that the player may want to leave. The big question, however, is where such an offer comes from. There are only about eight clubs that could afford such a deal, though almost none of them have the PSR headroom or squad need to make it happen. Liverpool have just spent £79m on Hugo Ekitike, a deal that had been linked to Isak's future given Newcastle's own interest in the French forward. That feasibly rules them out of a future move, although there is the potential twist should Darwin Nunez leave to hand the Reds the necessary PSR room and squad space. But sources tell the Independent that Liverpool are currently comfortable with their options at centre-forward and have their No 9 in Ekitike. Mikel Arteta has long been an admirer by Isak, and would love to do the deal, but it is seen as virtually impossible that Arsenal's Kroenke ownership will extend the budget. The club are also on the brink of signing Sporting CP's Viktor Gyokeres for less than half of Isak's anticipated price. Chelsea may consider a move, given they do have budget left to the figure of around £100m. Though this would also require a deviation from recent targets and a switch in profile given Isak's age and career trajectory. While virtually every club sees Isak as an outstanding talent, there is some doubt about whether £150m is worth it for a player who has recently struggled to consistently play in full European schedules without injury.
Telegraph
an hour ago
- Telegraph
Shoplifting epidemic sees three thefts every minute
Nearly three thefts a minute are being reported by shops amid a growing shoplifting epidemic, official figures show. Shoplifting hit a record high of 530,643 offences reported to police in the year to March, a 20 per cent increase on the previous year's total of 444,022. The rate of shoplifting is nearly double the rate two decades ago, according to the figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). That equates to more than 10,000 thefts a week, or more than 1,400 a day and nearly three per minute based on average UK store opening times of 9am to 6pm. The figures are the highest since records began in March 2003, with retailers warning the crisis adds at least 6p to every store transaction by customers. The British Retail Consortium calculates losses at £1.8bn stolen each year, with a further £700m spent on extra security. The police-recorded figures are estimated to represent just 5 per cent of the total amount stolen as most shops only report to police when they catch an offender in the act or have evidence such as CCTV. Snatch thefts of phones and bags hit a 20-year high of 90,000 over the year to March 2025, the second-highest total on record, according to the Crime Survey for England and Wales, which records people's personal experience of crime. That is up 29 per cent on 70,000 over the year to March 2024, and is the highest recorded figure since 106,000 in 2003/04. The surge follows warnings by police that they could be dragged away from tackling crimes like shoplifting and theft in order keep the peace at migration protests this summer. Earlier this month, Yvette Cooper, the Home Secretary, announced plans for extra officers to be deployed on the streets of 500 towns in a summer blitz on shoplifting and anti-social behaviour by 'thugs and thieves'. Stores including M&S, Morrisons, Boots, Tesco, Primark, and Greggs are also rolling out a new scheme where they submit CCTV, photos and personal data on all their repeat shoplifters to a database that is shared with police. The shared data enables all the stores and police to 'join the dots' to identify prolific offenders, gather evidence for prosecutions and provide security staff on the shop doors with photo watchlists to bar entry. Home Office figures suggest that police are bringing more shoplifters to justice. The proportion of shoplifting offences resulting in a charge has increased from 17.9 per cent last year to 19.2 per cent in the year to March 2025. It follows an agreement last October between the Government and police where forces pledged to attend shoplifting cases if there was violence against a store worker, a suspected thief was detained or officers were needed to secure evidence. Ms Cooper said: 'The four-year increase in shop theft and street crime reflects the decimation of neighbourhood policing over the past decade. 'That is why this summer our new Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee means over 500 town centres are getting extra neighbourhood patrols and action on town centre crime, and we are delivering the first 3,000 increase in neighbourhood officers and PCSOs in communities by next spring.' Chris Philp, the Tory shadow home secretary, said: 'Following yesterday's damning drop in police numbers, today the consequences of Labour's negligence are on full show. 'Under Labour, crime is up seven per cent, shoplifting has surged by 20 per cent, and under Labour's London Mayor, over 60 per cent of all personal thefts now happen in the capital.' ONS data also showed that around one in eight women were victims of sexual assault, domestic abuse or stalking in the last year. Around one in 10 people aged 16 and over in England and Wales were victims of at least one of the crime types of domestic abuse, sexual assault or stalking in the year to March, new estimates suggest. The survey found 5.2 million men and women aged 16 and over (10.6 per cent) were likely to have experienced one or more of these types of crime – but the percentage was higher for women (12.8 per cent) as opposed to 8.4 per cent of men. It is the first time an estimate has been made of the prevalence of these three crimes and is the main measure used by the ONS to monitor the Government's ambition of halving violence against women and girls (VAWG) in a decade. The Home Office will provide more detail later this year on how this will be used with other statistics to monitor its progress. The individual breakdown of the prevalence of crime listed on the survey suggests 2.9 per cent of the population, which accounts for 1.4 million people, have experienced stalking. Some 7.8 per cent (around 3.8 million people) experienced domestic abuse, while 1.9 per cent (around 900,000 people) experienced sexual assault. Around 8.6 per cent of the population (some 4.2 million people) experienced some form of harassment. Separate figures from the ONS Crime Survey for England and Wales published on Thursday suggest people aged 16 and over experienced 9.4 million incidents of crime in the year to March 2025, up from 8.8 million in the previous 12 months. The rise is mainly because of a 31 per cent rise in fraud, which accounts for 4.2 million incidents and is the highest estimate for this type of crime since fraud was first measured in the survey in 2016/17. The overall total of 9.4 million incidents in 2024/25 is 16 per cent lower than the total of 11.2 million for 2016/17, however. Experiences of theft, criminal damage and violence with or without injury, as measured by the ONS survey, have been on a broad downward trend since the mid-1990s. Police forces recorded 6.6 million crimes in England and Wales in 2024/25, down slightly by one per cent from 6.7 million in 2023/24. The total is up from 6.1 million in the pre-pandemic year of 2019/20, and from 4.2 million a decade earlier in 2014/15.
