Long Service Advance of Pay (LSAP)
IMPORTANT
LONG SERVICE ADVANCE OF PAY – this scheme has now been frozen and is not open to new applications. It was replaced in April 2014 by the Forces Help To Buy Scheme which has now been extended until 2022
ARMED FORCES HOME OWNERSHIP SCHEME – this has now been closed and is not open to new applications. It was replaced in April 2014 by the Forces Help To Buy Scheme
Click here to read more about Forces Help To Buy
LSAP is the Long Service Advance of Pay scheme run by the Ministry of Defence aimed at assisting service personnel in buying their own property – under which you can borrow up to £8500 [or 182 days pay if that proves to be less]. Qualifying for the LSAP loan is not straightforward and there are restrictions on the location of and type of property it can be used to help purchase. The eligibility criteria and restrictions on property types that can be bought by serving Armed Forces personnel using LSAP are listed below in brief.
LSAP – Are you eligible?
To qualify for a Long Service Advance of Pay loan, you must;
- Be currently serving in the UK military
- Have served for 4 years or longer or be on trained strength for the Navy or Royal Marines
- Have 3 months or longer to serve before discharge
- Be medical fit
- Have not drawn down any terminal benefits
- No notice given or application made for Premature Voluntary Release (except in circumstances where your qualify for a terminal grant larger than the LSAP loan)
LSAP – Is your property eligible?
To qualify for a Long Service Advance of Pay loan, your propery needs to meet the following criteria;
- Must be a property you will own
- Must be a residential property
- Must be a freehold property or one with a lease with over 70 years to run
- Must be in the UK, Channel Islands or Isle of Man (unless you were recruited in Ireland or one of your parents holds an Irish passport, when in either case you will be eligible to buy in the Republic of Ireland as well)
- A property on which a mortgage provider won’t refuse you a mortgage
- Not a mobile home, houseboat or caravan.
Don’t forget we offer a 10% discount to all serving military personnel
Want to buy property using a LSAP loan?
If you are thinking of purchasing property using a LSAP loan, our specialist conveyancing lawyers have extensive experience of buying homes for Armed Forces personnel involving the Long Service Advance of Pay scheme – and our specialist property team can help you buy your own property using Long Service Advance of Pay loan wherever you unit is based in England and Wales – taking your instructions by email, phone or Skype video.