Help to Buy ISA Calculator (Closing 2030)
Calculate your Help to Buy ISA government 25% bonus, maximum £3,000 cap, and closure deadline (December 2030). Existing holders only — closed to new accounts since November 2019. Compare with the Lifetime ISA for current first-time buyers.
| Current balance | — |
| Total contributions | — |
| Final balance at purchase | — |
| 25% government bonus (capped at £3,000) | — |
| Bonus eligibility floor (£1,600 balance) | — |
| Property price cap (your area) | — |
What Is the Help to Buy ISA — and Why Is It Closing?
The Help to Buy ISA (HTB ISA) is a UK government savings scheme launched in December 2015 to help first-time buyers save for a home deposit. The scheme provides a 25% government bonus on contributions when you complete a property purchase, up to a maximum bonus of £3,000 (on £12,000 of contributions). The scheme closed to new applicants on 30 November 2019 — only existing holders can continue contributing. The final deadline to claim the bonus is 1 December 2030 (source: helptobuy.gov.uk).
Existing HTB ISA holders can contribute up to £200/month plus an initial £1,000 deposit. The bonus is paid when you complete on a residential property purchase as a first-time buyer — it cannot be used for the deposit at exchange (legal completion only). Your conveyancer claims the bonus from the government and applies it to your purchase funds at completion.
Help to Buy ISA vs Lifetime ISA — Which Is Better in 2026?
The Lifetime ISA (LISA), launched April 2017, is the modern replacement and is open to all eligible first-time buyers. Key differences: LISA allows £4,000/year contributions vs HTB ISA\'s £200/month (£2,400/year + £1,000 initial); LISA bonus is up to £1,000/year vs HTB ISA\'s £3,000 lifetime cap; LISA can be used at exchange of contracts (not just completion), making it more useful in competitive markets; LISA has a £450,000 property price cap UK-wide, vs HTB\'s £250K outside London / £450K inside London.
For most first-time buyers in 2026, the LISA is more flexible. Existing HTB ISA holders should typically transfer to a LISA before December 2030 to keep the bonus growing, unless their HTB ISA balance is already close to the £12,000 cap that maxes out the bonus. See our LISA vs HTB ISA comparison if available, or compare manually.
Bonus Eligibility — The £1,600 Minimum Floor
The HTB ISA bonus is only paid if you have at least £1,600 in the account at the time of property completion. Below £1,600, you receive zero bonus despite having contributed. Above £1,600, the 25% bonus applies up to the £12,000 contribution cap. So someone with £8,000 contributed receives a £2,000 bonus; someone with £12,000+ contributed receives the £3,000 maximum.
The bonus is paid only once the property purchase legally completes — not at exchange of contracts. This was a significant pain point during the scheme\'s life, as deposits at exchange are typically the larger funding requirement. The Lifetime ISA fixed this by allowing use at exchange.
Property Price Caps and Other Eligibility Rules
The HTB ISA bonus only applies to property purchases up to £250,000 outside London or £450,000 inside Greater London (the 32 boroughs plus City of London). The buyer must be a first-time buyer (never owned residential property anywhere in the world), the property must be the buyer\'s primary residence, and the buyer must use a mortgage (not cash purchase). The property must be in the UK and used as the buyer\'s only or main residence.
For broader UK first-home tools see marriage allowance, UK income tax. For UK pension and savings see related links below. For Australian first-home equivalents see AU first home buyer calculator.
Last updated April 2026. Source: helptobuy.gov.uk, gov.uk Help to Buy ISA. Confirm current rules with your ISA provider.