The Family Home Guarantee is an Australian Government initiative.
The Family Home Guarantee is an Australian Government initiative that aims to support eligible single parents with at least one dependent child in purchasing a family home
From 1 July 2021, 10,000 Family Home Guarantees will be made available over four financial years to 30 June 2025, to eligible single parents with at least one
dependent child, subject to their ability to service a loan.
The Family Home Guarantee can be used to build a new home or purchase an existing home with a deposit of as little as 2 per cent, regardless of whether that single parent is a first home buyer or a previous home owner. Investment properties are not supported by the Family Home Guarantee.
How does the Family Home Guarantee work?
Eligible single parents with at least one dependent child looking to build a new home or purchase an existing home are able to apply for a loan to purchase an eligible property through a participating lender.
The Family Home Guarantee is administered by the National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation (NHFIC) on behalf of the Australian Government.
NHFIC guarantees to a participating lender up to 18 per cent of the value of the property, provided the borrower has a minimum 2 per cent deposit, and is
eligible for the Family Home Guarantee.
This will enable single parents with at least one dependent child to enter, or re-enter, the housing market sooner.
Who is eligible for this Scheme?
To be eligible to apply for the FHG applicants must:
- be single. A person is considered single if they don’t have a spouse and/or a de facto partner. Note: a person who is separated but not divorced is not considered single.
- have at least one dependent child. To have a dependent child, you must be the natural or adoptive parent of the child and the child must either be
- a “dependent child” within the meaning of subsections (2), (3), (4), (5), (6) and (7) of section 5 of the Social Security Act 1991 or
- at least 16 but under 22 years of age, receive a disability support pension within the meaning of the Social Security Act 1991 and live with you.
For the purposes of the Social Security Act 1991, you must show that you are legally responsible (whether alone or jointly with another person) for the day-to-day care, welfare and development of the dependent child and the dependent child is in your care.
What types of properties are eligible?
Under the FHG, a property must be a ‘residential property’ to be considered eligible. Eligible residential properties include:
- an existing house, townhouse or apartment
- a house and land package
- land and a separate contract to build a home
- an off-the-plan apartment or townhouse
Use the postcode search tool to look up the property price caps for your location.
Specific timeframes and criteria apply to the different property types. Contact a Participating Lender for a full list of property criteria and FHG requirements.
How to apply
Eligible single parents will be able to apply for the Family Home Guarantee through a participating lender. The full list of participating lenders is at www.nhfic.gov.au
There are no costs or repayments associated with the Family Home Guarantee. However, eligible single parents are responsible for meeting all costs and
repayments for the home loan associated with the Family Home Guarantee.
NHFIC will not accept applications directly and does not maintain a waiting list for Family Home Guarantee places.
Previous home ownership
| State | Capital City & Regional Centres | Rest of State |
|---|---|---|
| NSW | $900,000 | $750,000 |
| VIC | $800,000 | $650,000 |
| QLD | $700,000 | $550,000 |
| WA | $600,000 | $450,000 |
| SA | $600,000 | $450,000 |
| TAS | $600,000 | $450,000 |
| ACT | n/a | $750,000 |
| NT | n/a | $600,000 |
| Jervis Bay Territory & Norfolk Island | n/a | $550,000 |
| Christmas Island & Cocos (Keeling) Islands | n/a | $400,000 |
Family Home Guarantee applicants can be either first home buyers or previous owners who do not currently own a home.
To be eligible, you must not currently have:
- a freehold interest in real property in Australia
- a lease of land in Australia
- a company title interest in land in Australia
For more information and to discuss individual circumstances, contact a Participating Lender.
What property price thresholds apply to the Family Home Guarantee?
The property price thresholds for the Family Home Guarantee are the same as those applying to the First Home Guarantee.
* The capital city price thresholds apply to regional centres with a population over 250,000 (Newcastle & Lake Macquarie, Illawarra (Wollongong), Geelong, Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast), recognising that dwellings in regional centres can be significantly more expensive than other regional areas.
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