Shared ownership income caps to rise to £90,000 and £110,000

The government says shared ownership income caps will rise in the new year to £90,000 outside London and £110,000 in London. The change widens the income threshold but does not replace the scheme’s other eligibility and affordability checks.

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Shared ownership income limits in England are set to rise in the new year, according to a ministerial statement made to Parliament on 26 October 2026. The maximum household income will increase from £80,000 to £90,000 a year outside London, and from £90,000 to £110,000 in London. The change is intended to widen access after the limits remained unchanged since 2016.

Shared ownership allows eligible buyers to purchase a share of a home and pay rent on the part they do not own. The income cap is only one part of the eligibility test. Current GOV.UK guidance also says applicants must be unable to afford the deposit and mortgage payments for a suitable home outright, and must meet one of the qualifying circumstances, such as being a first-time buyer or having previously owned a home but being unable to afford one now. Some homes may also have a local connection requirement. Buyers should check the guidance and the terms for the particular property rather than treating the new ceiling as automatic approval.

The new limits have been announced by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. The statement says they will take effect in the new year. For homes outside London, the change will be reflected in the Homes England Capital Funding Guide. In London, it will be reflected in the next Annual Monitoring Report for the London Plan. The announcement does not state a specific day when every provider’s application process will change, so applicants should confirm the applicable cap with the relevant provider when applying.

The higher ceilings may bring some households into consideration who were previously above the income limit, but they do not change the basic affordability test or guarantee that a home is available. Buyers still need to consider the share price, deposit, mortgage, rent on the unsold share, service charges and any local allocation rules. Those costs vary by home and provider, and the cap itself says nothing about whether a particular household can sustain the total monthly cost.

For anyone researching the scheme, the practical update is therefore a higher maximum income threshold, not a new universal route to home ownership. The official statement records the announced figures and implementation route; the existing GOV.UK eligibility page remains useful for the other qualifying rules. Both should be checked again when the new caps take effect, because programme guidance and individual property terms can differ.

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