No Deposit Mortgages (2026): The Real 100% Routes That Exist
“You can’t buy without a deposit” is no longer quite true. A handful of genuine 100% mortgages are back in 2026 — including one that needs no guarantor at all — plus several family-assisted and scheme routes. Here’s exactly what’s available, who qualifies, and the trade-offs to weigh before you commit.
Quick Answer
Yes, you can get a mortgage with no deposit in 2026 — but the routes are specific and criteria-heavy. The best-known is Skipton Building Society’s Track Record Mortgage, a genuine 100% mortgage for renters that needs no guarantor — you qualify on a proven history of paying rent and bills. Beyond that, there are guarantor and family-assisted 100% mortgages (a relative provides security), the newer April 100% mortgage, Right to Buy (your discount acts as the deposit), and Armed Forces Help to Buy.
Two honest caveats. First, there is no zero-deposit government scheme — if you’ve searched for one, it doesn’t exist (the government’s Mortgage Guarantee Scheme only encourages 95% deals). Second, no-deposit mortgages come with higher rates, higher monthly payments, and no equity buffer, so they’re not automatically the best route even if you qualify. Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.
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Can You Get a Mortgage With No Deposit?
Yes — and this is a genuine change from the last decade. After the 2008 financial crisis, 100% mortgages all but vanished (before then, some lenders even lent more than a property was worth). For years the honest answer to “can I buy with no deposit?” was “not really, unless family helps.” But in 2026 a small number of true 100% loan-to-value mortgages have returned, alongside the family-assisted routes that never went away.
The key word, though, is specific. These aren’t products you’ll be offered by walking into any bank — they’re niche, come with strict eligibility, and can be withdrawn from the market at short notice. Most buyers still put down at least a 5% deposit, and if you can save even a small one, your options and rates improve markedly. But if a deposit is genuinely out of reach, the no-deposit routes below are real — you just have to match yourself to the right one.
The Skipton Track Record Mortgage — 100%, No Guarantor
This is the headline product, because it’s currently the only 100% mortgage that needs no deposit and no guarantor. Skipton Building Society designed it specifically for renters trapped by the deposit barrier — people who can comfortably pay rent but can’t save a lump sum on top. Instead of a deposit, you qualify on your track record of paying rent and bills. The core criteria (as of 2026 — confirm current, as this product can change or be withdrawn):
- First-time buyers (broadly, no property owned in the last 3 years), aged 21+.
- 12 months’ continuous rent paid on time within the last 18 months, plus a similar record of paying household bills.
- No missed payments on any credit commitments in the last 6 months.
- Your new monthly mortgage payment must be no more than your recent average rent — that’s how they cap the loan.
- Borrow up to 100% of the price, to a maximum of £600,000; 5-year fixed rate; new-build flats excluded (new-build houses are fine).
The clever bit — and the catch
The clever bit: your rental history is your deposit — if you’ve reliably paid £1,100/month rent, that demonstrates you can handle a £1,100 mortgage. Skipton has also added a Delayed Start feature (pause your first 1–3 payments, though interest still accrues) and a Shared Ownership version. The catch: the rate is higher than the best 95% deals, so if you can scrape together even a 5% deposit, a standard 95% mortgage may work out cheaper overall. A broker can compare the two on real numbers.
Guarantor & Family-Assisted 100% Mortgages
The longest-standing route to a no-deposit purchase is with family help. Here, a relative (usually a parent) provides security — using their savings or property — which stands in for your deposit and gives the lender the confidence to lend 100%. The main structures:
| Route | How it gives you 100% |
|---|---|
| Savings-as-security / springboard | A family member locks ~10% of the price in a linked savings account for a few years; you borrow 100%, their savings are returned (with interest) if you keep up payments. |
| Deposit boost | A relative releases equity from their own home to gift or lend you a deposit, letting you take a mortgage of your own. |
| JBSP (income boost) | A family member’s income is added to the application to boost affordability, without them owning the property. |
These are covered in full in our guarantor mortgage guide — worth reading if family help is on the table, because the structure you choose changes the risk to your relative significantly. If instead family can simply give you money, a gifted deposit is often the cleanest option of all, and means you’re no longer looking for a no-deposit product at all.
Other No-Deposit Routes
- The April 100% mortgage — a newer entrant offering 100% lending on a long 10- or 15-year fixed rate, open to first-time buyers and home movers with a household income of at least £24,000. The long fix gives payment certainty, but watch the early repayment charges, which can be steep if you remortgage away during the fixed period (confirm current terms).
- Right to Buy — if you’re a council or housing-association tenant eligible to buy your home, the discount you receive can act as your deposit, meaning some lenders will effectively lend you the rest with no cash deposit needed. That’s the basis of the “right to buy mortgage no deposit” route.
- Armed Forces Help to Buy — serving personnel can borrow up to 50% of salary (max £25,000) interest-free to use as a deposit.
Each of these is niche and criteria-specific, which is exactly why it pays to have someone check which — if any — you qualify for before you start applying.
The “No Deposit Government Scheme” Myth
A lot of people search for a “no deposit mortgage government scheme,” so let’s be straight: there isn’t one. There is no government scheme that lets you buy with zero deposit. What does exist is the government-backed Mortgage Guarantee Scheme, which encourages lenders to offer 95% mortgages (i.e. 5% deposit) by taking on some of the risk — helpful, but not no-deposit.
The genuine no-deposit options are the lender products above (Skipton, April, family-assisted), not a government programme. Government schemes like First Homes, Shared Ownership and the Lifetime ISA can dramatically reduce the deposit you need — but they don’t remove it entirely. Knowing this saves you chasing something that doesn’t exist and points you at what actually works.
The Trade-Offs You Must Weigh
No-deposit mortgages solve a real problem, but they aren’t free of downsides — and a good guide says so plainly:
The costs
- Higher interest rates than the best 95% deals — you pay a premium for borrowing the full value.
- Higher monthly payments — you’re borrowing more (100% of the price, not 90–95%).
The risks
- No equity buffer — if house prices dip, you can fall into negative equity (owing more than the home is worth).
- Harder to remortgage until you’ve built some equity through repayments or price growth.
Even a small deposit changes the maths
Because the trade-offs above soften quickly with even a little equity, it’s almost always worth asking: could I save a 5% deposit? On a £250,000 home that’s £12,500 — a lot, but it can unlock a materially cheaper 95% mortgage and a safer position. If saving it isn’t realistic, the no-deposit routes are there; but going in with eyes open to the cost is the responsible move. A broker will show you the real monthly difference side by side.
Can You Get a No-Deposit Mortgage With Bad Credit?
This is a tough combination, and honesty helps here: no deposit + adverse credit is one of the hardest asks in the market. No-deposit products already carry strict criteria — Skipton’s Track Record, for instance, wants a clean recent payment record (no missed payments in the last 6 months), so significant recent bad credit will usually rule it out.
That doesn’t always mean no route at all — a family-assisted structure might work where a solo application won’t, or improving your credit and saving a small deposit first might open specialist lenders. But realistically, if you have both hurdles, the plan is usually to tackle one first. A specialist broker can tell you honestly whether anything fits now, or what to fix to get there — rather than you applying repeatedly and damaging your credit file further.
The bottom line
No-deposit mortgages are real again in 2026, but they’re specific: Skipton’s Track Record (100%, no guarantor, for reliable renters), guarantor and family-assisted 100% deals, the April long-fix, Right to Buy, and Armed Forces Help to Buy. There’s no zero-deposit government scheme, and every no-deposit route carries higher rates, higher payments and negative-equity risk — so even a 5% deposit is worth chasing if you possibly can. The right move is to check which route you actually qualify for before applying anywhere, because these products are niche, criteria-heavy and change fast.
Compare mortgage deals and we’ll match you with an FCA-regulated broker who’ll check every no-deposit and low-deposit route against your situation — without a credit-score hit, free, with no obligation and no fee to you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you get a mortgage with no deposit in the UK?
Yes, though the routes are specific. The best-known is Skipton Building Society’s Track Record Mortgage, a 100% mortgage for renters that needs no guarantor — you qualify on a proven history of paying rent and bills. Other routes include guarantor and family-assisted 100% mortgages (where a relative provides security), the April 100% mortgage, Right to Buy (where your discount acts as the deposit), and Armed Forces Help to Buy. Each has strict criteria, and no-deposit mortgages carry higher rates than deals with a deposit.
How do I get a mortgage with no deposit?
First, identify which route you qualify for. If you’re a reliable renter with a clean recent credit record, Skipton’s Track Record Mortgage may fit. If family can help, a guarantor or family-assisted 100% mortgage uses their savings or property as security. If you’re a council tenant, Right to Buy uses your discount as the deposit. Because these products are niche and criteria-heavy, the practical first step is having a broker check your eligibility across all of them — ideally without a credit-score hit — before applying.
Is there a no-deposit mortgage government scheme?
No. There is no government scheme that lets you buy with zero deposit. The government-backed Mortgage Guarantee Scheme encourages lenders to offer 95% mortgages (a 5% deposit), but that isn’t no-deposit. Genuine no-deposit options are lender products such as Skipton’s Track Record, the April mortgage, and family-assisted 100% mortgages, rather than a government programme. Government schemes like First Homes, Shared Ownership and the Lifetime ISA can reduce the deposit you need but don’t remove it entirely.
What is the Skipton Track Record Mortgage?
It’s a 100% mortgage from Skipton Building Society designed for renters, requiring no deposit and no guarantor. You qualify by evidencing 12 months of continuous, on-time rent payments within the last 18 months, plus a record of paying household bills, and no missed credit payments in the last 6 months. You must be a first-time buyer aged 21 or over, and your new monthly payment can’t exceed your recent average rent. It lends up to 100% of the price to a maximum of £600,000, excluding new-build flats. The rate is higher than the best 95% deals.
Can I get a no-deposit mortgage with bad credit?
This is one of the hardest combinations. No-deposit products already have strict criteria — Skipton’s Track Record, for example, requires no missed payments in the last 6 months, so significant recent adverse credit usually rules it out. A family-assisted structure might work where a solo application won’t, or you may need to improve your credit and save a small deposit first to access specialist lenders. A broker can tell you honestly whether anything fits now or what to address first, avoiding damaging repeat applications.
Are no-deposit mortgages a good idea?
They solve a real problem for people who can afford monthly payments but can’t save a lump sum, but they have downsides: higher interest rates than 95% deals, higher monthly payments (you borrow more), and no equity buffer, which risks negative equity if house prices fall. They can also be harder to remortgage until you build equity. Because even a 5% deposit unlocks cheaper, safer options, it’s worth saving one if you possibly can — but where that’s genuinely not possible, no-deposit routes are a legitimate path.
- Skipton Building Society — Track Record Mortgage product information
- MoneyHelper & HomeOwners Alliance — no-deposit and 100% mortgage guidance
- GOV.UK — Mortgage Guarantee Scheme, Right to Buy, Armed Forces Help to Buy
- Lender product criteria (Skipton, April, family-assisted 100% mortgages) — indicative and subject to change or withdrawal
Important information
nextmove is an introducer, not a lender or adviser. This article is for general information only and does not constitute financial advice. Product availability, eligibility criteria, rates and scheme rules are indicative, change frequently, and can be withdrawn at any time — confirm current details before you rely on them. No-deposit mortgages carry higher rates and a risk of negative equity. We introduce you to FCA-regulated mortgage brokers who can advise on your individual circumstances, and we may receive a fee or commission for doing so.
Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.
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