"Allah has permitted trade and forbidden interest (riba)."
— Quran 2:275. Islamic mortgages replace interest with a co-ownership and rental structure.
1
The bank co-buys the property with you
Instead of lending you money, the Islamic bank purchases the property jointly with you. Your deposit is your initial ownership share. If you put down 20%, you own 20% from day one and the bank owns 80%.
2
You pay two things each month
Rent — on the bank's share of the property (this is how they make their profit, not interest). Acquisition payment — which buys a slice of the bank's share every month, increasing your ownership percentage over time.
3
Your ownership grows, your rent falls
As you acquire more of the property, the bank's share shrinks — and so does the rent you owe on it. This is called Diminishing Musharakah (diminishing partnership). By the end of the term, you own 100% and owe nothing.
4
Why does it cost more right now?
Islamic lenders (mainly Gatehouse Bank and StrideUp in the UK) have fewer customers and higher admin costs than mainstream banks, so their rental rates are typically 1–2% higher than conventional mortgage rates. This gap is narrowing as the market grows. At equal rates, an HPP costs exactly the same as a conventional mortgage.
5
Is it truly halal?
UK Home Purchase Plans (HPPs) are structured under a specific legal framework created for Islamic finance and are FCA-regulated. Gatehouse Bank and StrideUp are both considered halal by mainstream Islamic scholars. Consult your imam if you have personal doubts — the structure is widely accepted, but scholars differ on some fine details.
This calculator is for education only. Always speak to an FCA-regulated Islamic mortgage broker before making any financial decisions. Providers: Gatehouse Bank · StrideUp · Islamic Finance Guru
Shariah-compliant finance · UK 2025
Halal mortgage vs conventional — what does it actually cost?
A free, honest side-by-side calculator for UK Muslims comparing Islamic Home Purchase Plans with conventional mortgages. No signup. No ads. No fluff.
Property & mortgage details
Home price£180,000
Deposit20%
Mortgage term25 years
Halal rental rate
5.8%
Conventional rate
4.5%
Quick presets — real 2025 UK rates
Side-by-side results
Islamic HPP Halal ✓
Monthly payment
—
rent + acquisition (no riba)
Total paid over full term
—
Bank's profit margin (not interest)
—
earned through rental, not riba
Deposit required
—
Conventional Interest ✗
Monthly payment
—
principal + interest (riba)
Total paid over full term
—
Total interest (riba) paid
—
not permissible in Islam
Deposit required
—
can be 5% with some lenders
Monthly payment breakdown — year 1 (what you're actually paying)
Islamic HPP
Conventional
Acquisition (builds your ownership)
Rent on bank's share
Principal repayment
Interest (riba)
Remaining balance over time
How quickly you pay off the property — year by year
Islamic HPP balance
Conventional balance
Cumulative extra cost of going halal
Running total of additional cost (or saving) of the Islamic HPP vs conventional
Halal costs more
Halal costs less
UK Islamic mortgage providers (2025)
Gatehouse Bank
Most established
From 5% deposit. Up to 80% LTV. England & Wales. FCA-regulated. Competitive pricing.
StrideUp
Good for first-time buyers
From 10% deposit. Gifted deposits accepted. Up to 6.5× income. Complex incomes considered.
Offa
New · FCA 2025
New Islamic fintech. Fast specialist decisions. Shariah-compliant residential finance.