New plans supported by over £150m in new government funding will make it easier and more affordable for people to build their own homes, the housing secretary Robert Jenrick has announced.

The ‘Help to Build’ scheme aims to ensure that self and custom homebuilding can become a realistic option to get onto the housing ladder through lower deposit mortgages.

The idea is that lowering the required deposit will free up capital, so people can build the home that they want and need whether it’s a commissioned, made to order home, or a new design from scratch. The scheme will provide an equity loan on the completed home, similar to the Help to Buy scheme.

Made to order homes allow people to customise the home they want based on existing designs, and this could include more office space, or a particular design.

It is estimated by the government that the self and custom build could deliver 30,000-40,000 new homes a year: a significant contribution to the country’s housebuilding ambitions.

Housing secretary Robert Jenrick said: “Building your own home shouldn’t be the preserve of a small number of people, but a mainstream, realistic and affordable option for people across the country. That’s why we are making it easier and more affordable – backed by over £150 million new funding from the government.

“The scheme we have launched today will help the thousands of people who’d like to build their own home but who’ve not yet considered it or previously ruled it out.

“Our plans will help get more people on to the housing ladder, ensure homes suit people’s needs like home working or caring for relatives, whilst providing an important boost to small builders and businesses too.”

The prime minister has commissioned Richard Bacon MP to lead a review on how we can scale up the delivery of self and custom build homes. The review will report its findings and recommendations in the summer.

This follows the news that major lenders have signed up to the government’s new 95% mortgage guarantee scheme to help more people than ever on to the housing ladder. Lloyds, Santander, Barclays, HSBC and Natwest are launching mortgages under the scheme today with Virgin Money following next month.

Mark Hayward, policy lead at Propertymark, said: “The property market is facing a high demand at the moment and making it easier for people to build their own homes will create more stock for the property market going forward.

“With more individual choice, the new housing built will be tailor made to suit the communities they become a part of whilst contributing to the governments house building targets.”