Who qualifies as a first-time buyer?
You’ll be classified as a first-time buyer if you – and anyone you are buying with – are purchasing your first residential property. If you’ve owned a house or flat before – in the UK or abroad – you’re unlikely to be eligible for many of the schemes designed to help first time buyers on to the property ladder.
This is true whether you owned an entire property or a share in one, for example as a joint tenant or under a shared ownership scheme. Different schemes will vary in their rules and criteria so read any small print first before applying.
taken from Money Supermarket