Get a grant of up to £54,500 to buy a home anywhere in London.

The Westminster Homeownership Accelerator helps working Londoners become home owners. If you have household earnings of less than £90,000 and savings of at least £22,500 then the Scheme may be for you.

What's it all about?

The amount of deposit required to buy a home in London makes it very difficult to buy a first home. The Westminster Home Ownership Accelerator Scheme was created by Dolphin Living and Westminster City Council to make your dream of owning a home in London come true.

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Prices are on the rise

House prices in London are rising and it’s getting harder and harder for Londoners to get onto the housing ladder. Most mortgage lenders require a minimum of 10% deposit, which is forcing households to move outside of London in order to be able to buy a home.

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We are here to help

We offer accommodation at 65% discount against market rent for a period of three years. This creates affordable London living, which can help assist your household budget, and at the end of the three years you will receive up to £54,500 to buy your own home.

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People
Who is it for?

Those living or working in Westminster earning less than £90,000, who qualify for intermediate housing and have saved up at least £22,500.

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How does it work?

With the help of our funding, the amount you have to put towards your new home will increase in value to ensure you’ll have enough for a deposit on a property in London.

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Is it for me?

The Westminster Home Ownership Accelerator Scheme has been developed to support Londoners of all backgrounds to become home owners. Supporting people on lower incomes has always been the key mission for Dolphin Living, the organisation behind the scheme.

Register your interest

To be considered for the Westminster Home Ownership Accelerator Scheme please ensure that:

  • Your household income is no more than £90,000 per year
  • You live or work in Westminster
  • You do not currently own a home in the UK or abroad and you are not part of any Home Ownership agreement
  • You are employed and do not require Housing Benefit or access to Government funds to pay rental and associated living costs
  • You have savings of at least £22,500, or more, which you would use to contribute to the cost of buying a home

If the above criteria applies to you fill in the form below!

Register

Please register with the detail of the main applicant.

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Properties

As part of the Westminster Home Ownership Accelerator Scheme you will be renting one of our discounted properties over
a three year period, helping you to make further savings. Our properties are situated across Westminster and we work with
great architects to ensure they’re great homes in which to live.

FAQs
What happens if I find a home to buy before the three year tenancy has ended? Do I still get the Grant?

Yes, when you give notice, we will work out the amount of the Grant payable from the date of the notice. See our participation agreement for more detail on how we calculate the amount you'll receive.

We love the home we are renting from you, is there the option to buy it?

The home is for the purpose of the Accelerator Scheme. The Tenancy is one term of three years only. We can then re let the home to another household who is in the same position as you were. The home you rent from us, cannot be purchased.

Is there a minimum and maximum grant?

The maximum amount you could receive at the end of the three year term is £54,500, and the minimum you could receive is £20,900.

I am a single applicant, can I apply for a 2 bedroom property?

We want to make sure we put our homes to their best use and help as many people as possible. Therefore we want to make sure all rooms and bed spaces are occupied wherever possible. You can apply for a property that is larger than you need, but people who need the space will be prioritised.

Are the rental homes furnished?

All our homes are unfurnished as it helps to keep the rents low. It’s also an opportunity for you to put your personal mark on the home in which you live.

I have £10,000 in savings but my parents say they will give me the rest – can I still apply?

From the application stage and throughout the term of the tenancy, you will need to provide satisfactory evidence that you have savings of a minimum of £22,500 which will be used for the sole purpose of a deposit on a home.

Is there a catch?

We will ask you to pay some or all of the money back to us in the following limited circumstances. If within five years of buying a home: you do not live in the home you bought under the Scheme as your sole residence; you sell the home you bought under the Scheme and do not purchase an alternative property in Greater London; you purchase an additional property to the home you bought under the Scheme and do not sell the property you purchased under the Scheme first.

I am in receipt of Housing Benefit, am I eligible for the Scheme?

No. You have to be working and in the position to pay 100% of the rent without help from Housing Benefit.

Behind the scheme

The scheme is developed by Dolphin Living with support from City of Westminster.

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City of Westminster