BRITS will be encouraged to build their own homes under a new scheme designed to support smaller builders after the pandemic.
Ministers want to see a nation of would be builders just like the hit show Grand Designs fronted by Kevin McCloud.
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Rather than building lavish mansions, Housing Minister Robert Jenrick hopes people will be able to build everyday homes using a ‘help to build’ £150 million fund to help reduce the price of a self-build mortgage.
The scheme will provide an equity loan on the completed home, similar to the Help to Buy scheme.
Writing in The Sun Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick said: “I also want this to be seen as a mainstream option for people to choose to get on the housing ladder or when moving home, not just for the rich.
“You don’t have to be building a ‘Grand Design’ to build your own home.
“The scheme will help people build new homes that are made-to-order.
“These types of builds allow people to customise the home they want based on existing designs – rather than starting completely from scratch.
“These homes can be designed for a family’s specific needs such as more office space, or more room for disabled or older relatives.”
Boris Johnson has also launched a review on how more people can build their own homes.
Andrew Baddeley-Chappell, CEO, National Custom and Self Build Association said: “The Help to Build scheme is an important step towards greater customer choice for those with ambition, sound plans and smaller deposits.
“Custom and self build is about the homeowner having control over the design and specification of their project – enabling them to create the home they want, rather than the one someone else believes they would like.
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“This scheme is all about delivering more and better homes, that more people aspire to live in and that communities are happier to see built.”
Earlier this month the Government also launched a new 95% mortgage guarantee scheme to help more people than ever on to the housing ladder.
Lloyds, Santander, Barclays, HSBC and Natwest are launching mortgages under the scheme with Virgin Money following next month.
Get Britain Building Back Better, says Robert Jenrick
By Robert Jenrick, Housing Secretary
Local builders, tradesmen and suppliers keep the wheels turning of their local communities who rely on their expertise, passion and hard work to help turn their plans into bricks and mortar
However, many brickies, electricians, plumbers and labourers have been hit hard by the effects of the pandemic.
We have already backed the sector by getting sites reopened quickly and keeping them open during lockdown.
But we want to go further to get Britain Building Back Better.
That’s why today I’m announcing a new £150m scheme for self and custom build homes.
Not only will this help to make building your own home an option for many more people by making it easier to get a mortgage – it will give a fantastic boost to small building firms across England.
Only 7% of homes in UK are built through self and custom build – yet we have the potential to see 30-40,000 self and custom build homes built every year.
I also want this to be seen as a mainstream option for people to choose to get on the housing ladder or when moving home, not just for the rich.
You don’t have to be building a ‘Grand Design’ to build your own home.
The scheme will help people build new homes that are made-to-order.
These types of builds allow people to customise the home they want based on existing designs – rather than starting completely from scratch.
These homes can be designed for a family’s specific needs such as more office space, or more room for disabled or older relatives.
This funding will also help our small building firms compete with the larger housing developers, helping to boost companies and create thriving new self-build communities from Cumbria to Cornwall.
I urge small firms to take full advantage of the opportunities brought forward by this funding.
Together we can get Britain back building and create more jobs on our road to recovery.
Further details of the scheme, including how to apply, will be available in the Summer.
