Your guide to the First Home Super Saver Scheme (FHSS)

In order to assist first home buyers in cracking the property market, in the 2017–18 Federal Budget the Australian government introduced the The First Home Super Saver (FHSS) scheme.

Using super as part of your deposit How does it work?

In order to assist first home buyers in cracking the property market, in the 2017–18 Federal Budget the Australian government introduced the The First Home Super Saver (FHSS) scheme. Many Australians are having difficulty saving for a house deposit due to the lack of housing affordability. The FHSS scheme is designed to give first home buyers a leg up onto the property ladder by providing another way to save for a deposit, aside from asking one’s parents for money, moving in with said parents, or giving up avocado on toast for weekend breakfast with the parents (unless they’re paying). From July 1, 2018 home buyers will be able to withdraw voluntary contributions made to their superannuation fund and put it towards a first home deposit. As with most government incentives, the scheme comes with its fair share of rules. Let’s break them down.

  • Any super contributions you intend to put toward a house deposit must have been made after July 1, 2017 (so in the past year)
  • The property you intend to buy must be one you live in or intend to live as soon as practicable
  • You can use the scheme to purchase an investment property, as long as you live in the property for at least six months of the first 12 months you own it
  • You can only contribute a maximum of $15,000 a year and $30,000 in total. The last point means that if you are planning to buy a house with a friend, family member or partner, you can combine your contributions so that the maximum you can contribute together from super saved is $60,000.

Will it work for me?

While surging property prices are unfortunately out of our control, many commentators are claiming the prospects for growth in the residential property market are the worst in 30 years. Morgan Stanley told The Australian Financial Review in April that National housing prices have fallen for the past six months and warned that annual growth is the lowest it’s been in more than five years. So there’s that, combined with the FHSS scheme and other deposit-saving hacks you can set your mind to, and things may be looking up for first home buyers. Book in a quick call with our customer care team.Read: Your guide to buying your first homeTable showing "Hedonic home value index, March 2018"UNO is an online mortgage broker. The information above is general in nature, and you should always seek professional advice when making financial decisions. Book a call in with UNO

5 stars for our service reviews from clients

Book Call Now

UNO home loans

Try Plans, by UNO
Mortgage calculators completely reimagined
Get Started
Considering a purchase or refinance?

Try Plans by UNO

Mortgage calculators completely reimagined
Get Started
☎️ 🚫 No cold call promise

Related Articles

TESTIMONIALS

What our customers are saying

Jayne Calam
March 4, 2026
5 stars for our service reviews from clients
I honestly couldn’t recommend Jake de Ruyter more highly! From start to finish, he was absolutely amazing. He made the entire process smooth, stress-free, and easy to understand. His communication was excellent, he was incredibly quick to respond to emails, phone calls, and messages. No matter what we asked, he got back to us straight away and explained everything clearly, which made the whole process feel so much less stressful. Thank you for such an outstanding experience!
Read more
Anna Webb
February 26, 2026
5 stars for our service reviews from clients
Scott and his team has been absolutely wonderful to work with from start to finish. What could have been a very stressful experience was made so much easier thanks to Scott’s support and dedication. I truly appreciate all the hard work he has put in to help me secure the best outcome possible. I would highly recommend Uno Home Loans to anyone looking for reliable and knowledgeable financial assistance.
Read more
Michael
February 13, 2026
5 stars for our service reviews from clients
I contacted Uno on a whim about refinancing a small loan. Once I was in communication with Mike Parsons, I knew I was in safe hands. He was patient throughout the process and I appreciated his personalised, purposeful and professional service, especially the following up when it was required. Mike also comes highly recommended for his knowledge.
Read more
Desert Rose
February 4, 2026
5 stars for our service reviews from clients
I reached out to Mike Parsons and he was knowledgeable, tailored his advice to my specific situation and offered options which were aligned with my goals. Above all he was understanding and professional.The whole process was smooth and stress-free. Mike offered exceptional service and kept me updated throughout the whole approval process.
Read more
Mac
February 4, 2026
5 stars for our service reviews from clients
I highly recommend Mike Parsons from Uno Home Loans. He is a clear, patient communicator who made the complex loan application and settlement process easy to understand. Mike is very thorough and reassuringly meticulous with documentation. He was generous with his time, always prompt with answers, and handled multiple applications and extensions for us seamlessly, while giving useful advice on loan options along the way, even if it meant more work for him. Most importantly, Mike secured us a great loan when other brokers couldn't. I’ve already recommended him to friends and will continue to do so. The best broker I have used out of the several i have interacted with.
Read more
Christian Hartwig
January 28, 2026
5 stars for our service reviews from clients
Worked with 4 brokers now, 2 from uno one two with lendi. Uno is best, and jake is the best from uno. <3
Read more
Shona Vetenibua
January 5, 2026
5 stars for our service reviews from clients
We can’t recommend Paul highly enough. He truly went above and beyond for us and made what could have been a stressful process feel simple and manageable. Paul’s communication was clear and honest from the start. He was straight up about everything, provided us with a clear list of what we needed to supply, and then took care of the rest. He was transparent throughout the entire process and always took the time to answer our questions — no matter how big or small. As first-home buyers purchasing in a new country, we were nervous going in, but Paul made the whole experience easy and reassuring. We felt supported every step of the way and genuinely appreciated his professionalism and guidance. Very appreciative of everything Paul did for us — we couldn’t have done it without him.
Read more
Miten Chauhan
December 31, 2025
5 stars for our service reviews from clients
We had the pleasure of working with Paul Davey to secure a home loan for our first home. Paul was extremely knowledgable and helped make the entire journey of securing a property in Australia a breeze. We can't thank you enough for everything you did Paul, you are a true legend. Thank you very much! We'll be back for our next property.
Read more
Jamal Miller
December 29, 2025
5 stars for our service reviews from clients
Mike was recommended to us by a friend and exceeded expectations. He was extremely informative, patient, and flexible, and made our first home purchase a smooth experience. Beyond securing a great rate, the real value was how he managed all communication between solicitors, lenders, and other parties. This made settlement seamless and was incredibly helpful for us as time-poor buyers. Highly recommend.
Read more
Tutana Outram
December 20, 2025
5 stars for our service reviews from clients
Jesse provided exceptional guidance throughout our refinance, home sale, new purchase, and the construction loan for our family home. His professionalism, clear communication, and attention to detail made every stage of the process seamless. Highly recommended.
Read more
Stephen Hutchinson
December 18, 2025
5 stars for our service reviews from clients
We would like to thank Scott Wilkinson for all of his help refinancing our home loan. The service was excellent. Highly recommend Scott and UNO.
Read more
Alice V
December 5, 2025
5 stars for our service reviews from clients
great experience - very supported throughout the whole mortgage arrangement process
Read more