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  1. Welcome to Planning Portal
  2. Do you need permission?
  3. Common projects
  4. Self-build homes
  5. Financing a self-build home

Self-build homes

Financing a self-build home
  1. Planning a self-build home
  2. Modular homes
  3. Location and acquiring land
  4. Brownfield registers
  5. Planning permission and self-build projects
  6. Financing a self-build home
  7. Community Infrastructure Levy
  8. Sustainability
  9. Find a trade professional
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Financing a self-build home

After finding appropriate land, you will need to investigate how you can finance your venture.

Many people apply for a self-build mortgage; which differs from a standard mortgage as the funds are released in agreed stages throughout the build and the project is monitored at intervals by the lender. 

You can also raise funds by using savings and selling your existing home, although this option will involve finding elsewhere to live while the project is underway. Make sure you consider any additional interim living costs if you choose this option.

Small, medium or large developers can apply for the Home Builders Fund.

Find a Trade Professional

Use our partner directories to find a planning or building professional to help with your project or development.

Find a professional (https://www.planningportal.co.uk/planning/planning-applications/find-a-trade-professional)

Find a professional


Useful links

Make an application (https://www.planningportal.co.uk/app/applications)

Make an application

Speak to an expert (https://www.planningportal.co.uk/permission/planning-guidance-service)

Speak to an expert

Studio Charrette consultancy calculator (https://www.planningportal.co.uk/permission/home-improvement/planning-consultancy-calculator)

Studio Charrette consultancy calculator

Sell your site with Land Match (https://www.planningportal.co.uk/permission/commercial-developments/sell-your-site)

Sell your site with Land Match

    What is the Home Builders Fund?

    The UK government has allocated a fund of £3 billion to assist in increasing new homes built in England, known as the Home Builders Fund.

    The fund is a short or long term loan that will help small builders, community builders and custom builders as well as larger developers, with the financing of their build projects.

    Private sector businesses are able to bid for the finance to build new homes that are affordable rented homes, shared ownership or rent-to-buy homes.

    The loan is requested through an application process which begins by discussing the project with the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) before the formal application process for the loan starts.

    The Home building fund provides two types of tailored loan:

    • Development finance – meeting costs for development
    • Infrastructure finance – site and land preparation for development

    Key features of the home building fund include:

    • Short and long term loans
    • From £250,000 - £250 million
    • Five year term for development finance
    • 20 year term for infrastructure finance
    • Pre-agreed interest rates
    • Non-financial support also available

    The criteria for acceptance of finance will cover areas such as value for money, local support and timescale.

    Find out about the Home builders fund from GOV.UK.1

    1. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/home-building-fund

    Disclaimer

    This is an introductory guide and is not a definitive source of legal information. Guidance is based on national rules, but additional local rules may also affect what permissions are needed. You should check if this is the case before applying or starting work.
    Guidance here relates to the planning regime for England, the policy in Wales may differ. If in doubt contact your local planning authority. Please note, local authorities may charge a fee for pre-application advice.
    Read our full disclaimer1.

    1. https://www.planningportal.co.uk/services/terms-and-disclaimer/terms-and-conditions

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      The Planning Portal is delivered by PortalPlanQuest Limited which is a joint venture between TerraQuest Solutions Limited and the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG). All content © 2025 Planning Portal.