You need £17,000 for a first home - here's how to do it

Figure caption, How much is in your savings account?

Cost of living correspondent Published 24 minutes ago If buying your own home is the finishing line, then saving up the money to get there is a marathon.

The "Your First Home" scheme , announced on Saturday, aims to help first-time buyers in England get on the housing ladder with a small deposit.

Currently a 5% deposit on the current average UK house price of £272,000 plus moving costs and legal fees - will set you back about £16,850, according to financial information service Moneyfacts.

That's daunting, but here are four ways that experts say you can at least make a start on saving for a deposit.

Depositing an amount you can afford into a regular savers account the day after you are paid is a good way to start, suggests Anna Bowes, savings expert at financial advisers The Private Office.