ABSTRACT
High levels of wealth inequality are undesirable because it is believed that they cause a bias in the democratic process. This chapter examines measures adopted by the government to help first-time buyers in the UK in the last ten years and assesses the effectiveness of these. The UK government has been helping prospective buyers get on the property ladder through a number of schemes. Many people in the UK have been able to climb the property ladder, thanks to the Right to Buy Scheme. One of the most simple and direct ways to help first-time buyers is exemption from stamp duty. The government has been helping young people climb the property ladder using measures that focus on giving a bonus on savings, interest-free loans and stamp duty exemption. The attempt to help first-time buyers to deal with the question of affordability has not been successful.
