FIRST-time buyers are being offered a £3,000 helping hand to purchase their first home in a move experts say offers a welcome boost the property market in Scotland.

George Osborne's Budget revealed plans for a new help-to-buy ISA which will offer a 25 per cent bonus to savers, giving them an extra £50 for every £200 they save.

Each individual will receive a boost up to a maximum of £3,000 - meaning a couple could receive up to £6,000 towards their deposit.

The move has been welcomed by property experts who say the savings scheme, teamed with the Scottish Government's new Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) which is replacing stamp duty, means first time buyers are set to become a lot better off north of the Border.

Bob Fraser, a senior property partner at law firm Aberdein Considine, said: "2015 is certainly shaping up to be the year of the first-time buyer.

"We were already expecting a lift in first-time buyers thanks to the LBTT system coming into effect. This new ISA will further boost that end of the market.

"Those buying together could get £6,000 towards their deposit - that is a massive lift for those searching for their first home and will make the property dreams of many become a reality."

The law firm claims the measure could help around 105,000 people in Scotland purchase their first home in the next five years.

The new ISA will be open to anyone over the age of 16 who has never owned a home, with the cost of the property capped at £250,000 (£450,000 in London).

Savers can then pay in up to a maximum of £200 per month, meaning they will need to save for five years to get the full Government bonus.

Alternatively people can pay in a £1000 lump sum and save £200 a month for four and a half years.

As well as the Government bonus, which is only paid once buyers purchase a home, savers will also earn interest on their ISA.

Revealing the plans in his Budget announcement, the Chancellor said: "We're going to take two of our most successful policies and combine them to create a brand new Help to Buy ISA. And we do it to tackle two of the biggest challenges facing first time buyers - the low interest rates when you build up your savings, and the high deposits required by the banks.

"It's as simple as this - we'll work hand in hand to help you buy your first home. This is a Budget that works for you."

The scheme, which begins in the Autumn, will be open to new account holders for four years but once you have opened an account you can keep it until you are ready to buy.

There is a minimum Government contribution of £400, so savers will have to build up at least £1,600 in the account, which can be provided by banks and building societies, allowing people to move between providers to ensure they are getting the best deal.

Mr Osborne claimed a 10 per cent deposit on the average first home costs around £15,000, hence the £3000 maximum boost offered on savings of £12,000.

According to estate agents Savills, the average first time buyer deposit in Scotland sits at around £20,075, but the property firm says the cap on savings will help prevent a surge in house prices in light of the scheme.

Lucian Cook, Savills UK head of residential research, said: "The Help to Buy ISA is a further attempt to keep alive the aspiration of home ownership and help first time buyers overcome the deposit constraints that have been the biggest barrier faced since the credit crunch.

"While it will be welcomed by prospective first time buyers, limiting the ISA to a £12,000 savings plan with a £3,000 government contribution should prevent a surge in house prices."

Mr Cook added that the scheme is more likely to help buyers get over the deposit hurdle in lower value, lower growth markets, such as Scotland.

However, he warned that some first-time buyers who have access to funds and are keen to lock in current low interest rates will be "unlikely to commit to what is effectively a five year savings plan".

Roland Simpson, of estate agents Strutt & Parker's Edinburgh office, added that the move should be "applauded" and said it offered a "really good incentive for those looking to buy their first home".

According to the budget documents, the Government expects the policy to cost £45m in the current tax year, rising to £835m in 2019-20.

Those taking up the scheme will not be able to save into another ISA in the same tax year, however other savings measures announced by the Chancellor mean people can earn up to £1000 interest tax-free outside an ISA if they are a basic-rate taxpayer and up to £500 of they are a higher-rate taxpayer.

Sylvia Waycot, editor of comparison website Moneyfacts.co.uk, added: "Many young people have almost given up on the hope of owning their own home because the deposits are so high.

"This will be excellent news for this demographic, who will once again have the opportunity of getting on the housing ladder."