Help to Buy Income Limits Rise for FY27: What's Changed

From 1 July, singles earning up to $103,000 can now qualify for Help to Buy. Here's what changed, who applies and how the scheme works.

If you have been watching the federal government's Help to Buy shared equity scheme from the sidelines, today marks a meaningful shift. As of 1 July 2026, the taxable income thresholds for the scheme have increased, 10,000 fresh places are available for the new financial year, and after Tasmania joined last month, the scheme now operates across every Australian state and territory for the first time.

The changes are targeted but significant for buyers who previously sat just outside the eligibility band.

What Changed from 1 July 2026

As [The Adviser reports](https://www.theadviser.com.au/borrower/48625-income-limits-raised-for-help-to-buy), the taxable income limit for single applicants has increased from $100,000 to $103,000. For joint applicants and single parents, the threshold rises from $160,000 to $165,000. Both changes took effect today.

The scheme itself works by having the Australian Government take a shared equity stake in your home — contributing up to 40% of the purchase price for a new build, or up to 30% for an existing home. Buyers need a minimum deposit of just 2% and a mortgage to cover the remaining balance. The government's equity stake is repaid when you sell, refinance or choose to buy out the government share.

That structure makes Help to Buy fundamentally different from a first home buyer grant. The government owns a portion of the property, which limits the full capital gain, but it dramatically reduces how much you need to borrow and therefore what your monthly mortgage repayments look like. Housing Australia CEO Scott Langford described the scheme's purpose plainly: "Through Help to Buy we are making a meaningful difference for thousands of Australians who have been locked out of home ownership. The changes from 1 July ensure we can continue to support more Australians into home ownership."

With the start of the new financial year, Housing Australia has opened 10,000 new places for 2026-27, distributed across all states and territories.

Who Is Actually Using Help to Buy?

Since the scheme launched in Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia and the ACT on 5 December 2025, it has received more than 7,200 applications. Of those, 4,800 applicants have either settled on a property or found a home to purchase.

The profile of participants is worth noting for anyone considering applying. Almost 70% of applications come from single applicants, including 12% who are single parents. Eighty-six per cent of participants are first-home buyers. Housing Australia has also noted that older single women are a growing cohort: 42% of female participants are aged 40 or above.

The median deposit used by participants is $30,000. That figure illustrates the scheme doing exactly what it was designed to do — enabling people into the market who would otherwise take considerably longer to accumulate a standard deposit. The scheme's executive leader, Alia Ayoub, commented: "The strong uptake since the Scheme launched highlights both the demand for this type of support and the impact the scheme is already having. We're particularly encouraged by the number of single applicants and single parents participating, as well as the growing number of older women accessing home ownership and long-term security through Help to Buy."

Demand has been strongest in Victoria, followed by New South Wales and Queensland.

Two Lenders, One Broker Channel

This is the practical detail that every buyer and broker needs to understand. There are currently only two lenders offering mortgages through Help to Buy: Commonwealth Bank of Australia and Bank Australia. Of those two, only Bank Australia currently makes the scheme available through the mortgage broker channel. Commonwealth Bank operates its Help to Buy lending directly with borrowers.

That broker-channel restriction has real consequences. Borrowers working with a broker on a Help to Buy application are effectively directed to Bank Australia as the lender for now. Housing Australia expects more lenders to join the panel in due course, but for the current financial year the panel remains limited.

If your income and purchase situation fits within the scheme's parameters, it is worth getting a proper picture of what your numbers look like. Check your [borrowing power](/calculators/borrowing-power) to understand how the government equity contribution changes what you would need to borrow, and explore our [first home buyer hub](/home-loans/first-home-buyer) for a broader view of the pathways available to you.

Is Help to Buy Right for Your Situation?

That question is genuinely case-specific. The scheme makes most sense if your taxable income is under $103,000 as a single applicant or $165,000 as a joint or single-parent applicant, you have at least 2% saved as a deposit, you are buying within the property price caps that apply in your state, and you are comfortable with the obligation to repay the government equity stake when you eventually sell or refinance.

For first-home buyers who are close to being able to purchase but stretched by today's property prices, Help to Buy can bridge the gap. The income threshold changes from today mean more Australians now meet the criteria than they did 24 hours ago.

If you are weighing Help to Buy against a conventional loan with a lower deposit and lender's mortgage insurance, our [LMI calculator](/calculators/lmi) lets you model what LMI would cost on a lower-deposit loan — providing a genuine comparison point before you commit to either path. The right approach depends heavily on your income, your deposit size and the specific property you are targeting.