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Explained in plain English

What's an equity loan?

An equity loan is where the government lends you a percentage of your home's value, interest-free for a period. You repay it when you sell the property or after a set number of years. While it lowers your initial mortgage, you'll eventually owe the government a percentage of the property's *current* value, which could be more than the original loan amount if prices rise.

Stories that explain this

New help-to-buy scheme offers 20% equity loan for first-time buyers Labour leader Andy Burnham promises change despite economic challenges

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The autumn Budget Global housing trends Help to Buy, again? Help to Buy's history Your job after benefits Why new-builds only? UK housing challenges UK's economic challenges

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