Pocket Living Help to Buy in London - What is a Pocket Home, by SAM Conveyancing. London Skyline showing London Bridge.
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Pocket Living Help to Buy in London

Last Updated: 10/06/2026
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3 min read
Pocket Living offer affordable housing to local first time buyers in London. They are unique in their design, which reduces development cost, keeping their prices low.

The 'pocket homes' are typically one bedroom flats, which are sold at least 20% under local market value.


Like all affordable housing schemes there are restrictions as to who can buy with them.

Am I eligible for pocket living?


To be eligible to buy a pocket home:
  • You must live or work in the borough of the development
  • You must be a first time buyer
  • Your income must fall within the Mayor of London's threshold for affordable housing (currently £90,000)
There are also restrictions on the properties themselves:
  • You must live in the property (this is verified annually)
  • You cannot let or sublet the flat to anyone else
  • You must re-sell the property through Pocket Living, who will ensure it goes on to help another eligible buyer get onto the property ladder.

Which London Boroughs have Pocket Living Help to Buy?


Pocket Living developments For Sale:
There are further completed developments all over London, where properties will occasionally come up for resale.

What is a pocket home?

They are mostly one bedroom flats with a modular design:
  • Double bedroom with full height windows
  • Open plan kitchen/living/dining toom with full height windows
  • Wet room with walk in shower

They are small, but feature high ceilings and floor to ceiling windows to make the spaces feel light and airy, with a small utility cupboard for storage and a storage area in the bedroom.

There are now a limited number of 2 and 3 bedroom properties available, for which families will have priority.

How big is a pocket home?

The one bedroom homes are 38 square metres, or 409 square feet. They have no private gardens or parking spaces, but do come with a secure area to keep your bike.

Looking at buying your first home?

You should get a mortgage in principle before you make an offer.

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Andrew Boast of Sam Conveyancing
Written by:

Andrew Boast FMAAT is a qualified accountant, conveyancing specialist and author with over 25 years of experience in the UK property sector. Since beginning his career in 2000 within established SRA and CLC-regulated conveyancing solicitor firms, Andrew has overseen the legal journeys of more than 75,000 clients.

He is the self-published author of the first-time buyer guide: How to Buy a House Without Killing Anyone, and a frequent contributor to mainstream UK media on legislative updates, property law, first-time buyer guides, conveyancing best practices, and stamp duty changes. Andrew specialises in resolving complex title issues, property conflict disputes, and property tax options, streamlining the enquiry process to reduce transaction times and maintaining a client-friendly focus.

Amanda Ambler Legal Content Reviewer & Senior Conveyancing Consultant
Reviewed by:

Amanda Ambler is a highly accomplished conveyancing specialist with over 15 years of dedicated experience across residential property law, legal compliance, and practice management. Having held senior roles, including Head of Legal Practice and Head of Conveyancing at established UK law firms, Amanda possesses a profound, hands-on understanding of the technical intricacies of the property market.

As the designated Legal Content Reviewer for SAM Conveyancing, Amanda ensures that every guide, legal update, and resource published meets the absolute highest standards of accuracy, regulatory compliance, and factual integrity. Her rigorous review process guarantees that complex property legislation and industry processes are communicated clearly, transparently, and safely for home buyers and sellers alike.


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