{"id":22355,"date":"2022-01-01T10:08:17","date_gmt":"2022-01-01T10:08:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/daruliftabirmingham.co.uk\/?p=22355"},"modified":"2022-01-01T10:35:57","modified_gmt":"2022-01-01T10:35:57","slug":"can-one-use-a-lifetime-isa-individual-savings-account-to-buy-a-first-home","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/daruliftabirmingham.co.uk\/home\/can-one-use-a-lifetime-isa-individual-savings-account-to-buy-a-first-home\/","title":{"rendered":"Can One Use a Lifetime ISA (Individual Savings Account) To Buy a House"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: right;\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\"><strong>Fatwa ID: 05698<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\"><strong>Answered by: Maulana Syed Johir Miah<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\"><strong><u>Question:<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\">Is this permissible?<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\">You can use a Lifetime ISA (Individual Savings Account) to buy your first home or save for later life. You must be 18 or over but under 40 to open a Lifetime ISA. You can put in up to \u00a34,000 each year until you\u2019re 50. You must make your first payment into your ISA before you\u2019re 40. The government will add a 25% bonus to your savings, up to a maximum of \u00a31,000 per year. The Lifetime ISA limit of \u00a34,000 counts towards your annual ISA limit. This is \u00a320,000 for the 2021 to 2022 tax year.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\">You can hold cash or stocks and shares in your Lifetime ISA, or have a combination of both. When you turn 50, you will not be able to pay into your Lifetime ISA or earn the 25% bonus. Your account will stay open and your savings will still earn interest or investment returns. To open and continue to pay into a Lifetime ISA you must be a resident in the UK, unless you\u2019re a Crown servant (for example, in the diplomatic service), their spouse or civil partner. Withdrawing money from your Lifetime ISA. You can withdraw money from your ISA if you\u2019re: buying your first home aged 60 or over terminally ill, with less than 12 months to live you\u2019ll pay a withdrawal charge of 25% if you withdraw cash or assets for any other reason (also known as making an unauthorised withdrawal). This recovers the government bonus you received on your original savings.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\">Example 1<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\">Assuming no growth, initial savings of \u00a3800 will earn a 25% government bonus of \u00a3200 and give you a pot of \u00a31,000. If you wish to withdraw the entire pot, a 25% charge will apply to the full \u00a31,000. You\u2019ll have to pay a government withdrawal charge of \u00a3250. This will leave you with \u00a3750.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\">If you only wish to access some of your money, you\u2019ll have to take the withdrawal charge into account when requesting funds. You\u2019ll have to withdraw more than the amount you need, to cover your needs and the 25% withdrawal charge.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\">Example 2<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\">If you need enough cash to cover a \u00a3120 bill, you\u2019ll have to withdraw more than you actually require. Withdrawing \u00a3160 means you pay a 25% withdrawal charge of \u00a340, and receive \u00a3120 in cash to meet the bill.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\">If you\u2019ve made an unauthorised withdrawal between 6 March 2020 and 5 April 2021. A reduced withdrawal charge of 20% was temporarily introduced from 6 March 2020 to 5 April 2021. If you\u2019ve been charged a higher rate of 25%, the difference will be paid back into your Lifetime ISA. Contact your Lifetime ISA provider if this does not happen to buy your first home.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\">You can use your savings to help you buy your first home if all the following apply: the property costs \u00a3450,000 or less you buy the property at least 12 months after you make your first payment into the Lifetime ISA you use a conveyancer or solicitor to act for you in the purchase &#8211; the ISA provider will pay the funds directly to them you&#8217;re buying with a mortgage. Buying with someone else. If the person you\u2019re buying with has a Lifetime ISA, they can use their savings and government bonus too.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\">They\u2019ll pay a 25% withdrawal charge to use their Lifetime ISA savings if they own or have a legal interest in the property (for example they\u2019re a beneficiary of a trust that includes property).<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\">If you have a Lifetime ISA and a Help to Buy ISA, you can only use the government bonus from one of them to buy your first home.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\">You can transfer money from a Help to Buy ISA to a Lifetime ISA. If you transfer money from a Lifetime ISA to a Help to Buy ISA you\u2019ll have to pay the 25% withdrawal charge.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\">Saving for later life. You can take your savings out of a Lifetime ISA when you\u2019re 60 or over. You\u2019ll pay a 25% charge if you withdraw money or transfer the Lifetime ISA to another type of ISA before 60.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\">If you die your Lifetime ISA ends on the date of your death. There\u2019s no charge to withdraw the funds or assets from your account.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\">A Lifetime ISA is one of a number of ways to save for later life.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\"><strong><u>In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\"><strong><u>Answer:<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\"><a href=\"#_ftn1\" name=\"_ftnref1\"><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\">After looking into this matter deeply, it seems that \u201cISA (Individual Savings Account) is not compliant with Shariah as it has many factors which are contrary to the Shariah. The government adding a 25% bonus to the savings is similar to interest as it is a riskless profit on the saving and it is an underlying element of the ISA (Individual Savings Account).<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\">Amongst the principles of ISA is that there is a 25% withdrawing charge if a person withdraws money before reaching the age of 60 and for other than purchasing the first home, as a result of which the customer will receive back less than the original saving amount.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\">As stated in the first example, a person has to pay a government withdrawal charge of \u00a3250 if he wishes to withdraw the entire pot.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\">If a person only wishes to access some of their money, they will have to take the withdrawal charge into account when requesting funds, which is interest.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\">Also stated in the second example, if a person needs enough cash to cover a \u00a3120 bill, they will have to withdraw more than they actually require. Withdrawing \u00a3160 means they pay a 25% withdrawal charge of \u00a340 and receive \u00a3120 in cash to meet the bill.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\">In this scenario, the benefit is conditional on lending and therefore it is a loan that brings benefit, and if it is not conditional, then there is nothing wrong with it. <a href=\"#_ftn2\" name=\"_ftnref2\">[1]<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\">Hence, Lifetime ISA (Individual Savings Account) would not be permissible.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\">Only Allah knows best.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\">Written by Maulana Syed Johir Miah<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\">Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\">Darul Ifta Birmingham<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\"><a href=\"#_ftnref2\" name=\"_ftn2\">[1]<\/a>\u0625\u0646 \u0627\u0644\u0645\u0646\u0641\u0639\u0629 \u0625\u0630\u0627 \u0643\u0627\u0646\u062a \u0645\u0634\u0631\u0648\u0637\u0629 \u0641\u064a \u0627\u0644\u0625\u0642\u0631\u0627\u0636 \u0641\u0647\u0648 \u0642\u0631\u0636 \u062c\u0631 \u0645\u0646\u0641\u0639\u0629\u060c \u0648\u0625\u0646 \u0644\u0645 \u062a\u0643\u0646 \u0645\u0634\u0631\u0648\u0637\u0629 \u0641\u0644\u0627 \u0628\u0623\u0633 \u0628\u0647<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\">Mabsoot, Sarakhsee, 35\/14, Darul M\u2019arifah, Beirut, Lebanon, 1414 H.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Fatwa ID: 05698 &nbsp; Answered by: Maulana Syed Johir Miah &nbsp; Question: &nbsp; Is this permissible? &nbsp; You can use a Lifetime ISA (Individual Savings&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[17],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/daruliftabirmingham.co.uk\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22355"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/daruliftabirmingham.co.uk\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/daruliftabirmingham.co.uk\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/daruliftabirmingham.co.uk\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/daruliftabirmingham.co.uk\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=22355"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"http:\/\/daruliftabirmingham.co.uk\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22355\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":23520,"href":"http:\/\/daruliftabirmingham.co.uk\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22355\/revisions\/23520"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/daruliftabirmingham.co.uk\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22355"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/daruliftabirmingham.co.uk\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22355"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/daruliftabirmingham.co.uk\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22355"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}