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Helpful Start

Boost your savings and help your loved ones move up the property ladder

How it works

Our Helpful Start account lets you provide a deposit for a home buyer to help them obtain a mortgage so they can buy a home with our Family Springboard Mortgage.

Put 10% of their property purchase price into the Helpful Start account and you’ll get your money back after five years – as long as the home buyer keeps up their mortgage payments. You’ll even get your money back with interest and it stays in your name at all times.

If the home buyer misses a payment, it might take longer for you to get your money and you might not get your full savings and interest back.

Current interest rates

These rates are effective from 1 September 2023

Balance

Gross rate per year %

AER %

£1+

6.75

6.96

Interest is paid monthly on the first working day of the month. The interest rate tracks a margin of 1.50% above the Bank of England Base Rate. 

What would the estimated balance be after 12 months, based on a £1,000 deposit?

Deposit amount

Estimated value after a year

£1,000

£1,069.63

The estimated value is based on no change to the interest rate during 12 months and no withdrawals made.

Previous interest rates

Rates effective from

Balance

Gross rate per year%

AER %

3 June 2023 – 31 August 2023 

£1+

6.50

6.70

Further Information

Mortgage offset:

No

Interest rate:

Rates are variable. Interest is calculated daily using your statement balance and is paid on the first working day of each month.

Gross:

The rate of interest payable without tax taken off.

Tax:

Interest is paid gross. If you’re a UK taxpayer, you may have to pay tax on interest earned in excess of your Personal Savings Allowance.

For information and guidance please refer to the HMRC website.

Please note, it’s your responsibility to ensure that any tax due on interest payments received is paid to the appropriate tax authority.

AER:

Annual Equivalent Rate. This illustrates what the interest rate would be if interest was paid and compounded once each year.

For additional information, download our Helpful Start terms and conditions [PDF, 249KB]. They are in addition to the general conditions of your Customer Agreement with us.

Read important information about our interest rates, the Financial Service Compensation Scheme and your cancellations rights.