Mortgage rates increased at a record pace in 2022, with the 10-year fixed mortgage rate doubling between March 2022 and December 2022. With inflation increasing, the Bank of England introduced several bank rate hikes, resulting in higher mortgage rates. In September 2023, the average 10-year fixed rate interest rate reached 5.1 percent. As borrowing costs get higher, demand for housing is expected to decrease, leading to declining market sentiment and slower house price growth. How have the mortgage hikes affected the market? After surging in 2021, the number of residential properties sold declined in 2022, reaching close to 1.3 million. Despite the number of transactions falling, this figure was higher than the period before the COVID-10 pandemic. The falling transaction volume also impacted mortgage borrowing. Between the first quarter of 2023 and the first quarter of 2024, the value of new mortgage loans fell year-on-year for fourth straight quarters in a row. How are higher mortgages affecting homebuyers? Homeowners with a mortgage loan usually lock in a fixed rate deal for two to ten years, meaning that after this period runs out, they need to renegotiate the terms of the loan. Many of the mortgages outstanding were taken out during the period of record-low mortgage rates and have since faced notable increases in their monthly repayment. About five million homeowners are projected to see their deal expire by the end of 2026. About two million of these loans are projected to experience a monthly payment increase of up to 199 British pounds by 2026.

This statistic presents the change in the volume of applicants for lifetime mortgage, the leading product of the equity release market in the United Kingdom (UK) from 2012 to 2016. Equity release is a way of financing loans, which provides the owner of a house or other type of property with funds based on the value of their real estate, while allowing for continued use of said property. Lifetime mortgage is one of the products offered within equity release schemes. It denotes a loan secured on the property, which is sold after the borrower moves out or dies; meaning after the use of the property is discontinued by the borrower. The funds obtained in the sale help to pay the compounded interest, which has been added to the capital throughout the term of the loan. As of 2016, the volume of applicants for the lifetime mortgage product grew by 22 percent, in comparison to the previous year.

The value of buy-to-let (BTL) mortgage loans for property remortgaging in the UK was forecast to continue to increase in 2025, after plummeting in 2023. In 2023, buy-to-let mortgages originated for a property purchase amounted to nine billion British pounds, while remortgage originations totaled 11 billion British pounds. By 2026, mortgage lending for purchases was forecast to remain stable, while remortgage lending was expected to rise to 28 billion British pounds.

The mortgage market has recovered well since the financial crisis, often producing double-digit growth each year. However, rising economic uncertainties will dampen the prospects for future growth over the coming years. During the forecast period (2018-22), gross advances are expected to record a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.2%, reaching £338bn by the end of the forecast period versus a historic five-year CAGR of 7.6% from 2013 to 2017. Read More

As of September 9, 2019, the number of mortgage sales (PSD) in the United Kingdom (UK) stood at just under 570 thousand for the year. As it stands, full year accounting of mortgage sales in 2019 is likely to be far below than that of the previous year. In the UK, the age band with the highest number of mortgage sales were aged between 31 and 35 years old. After 35, the number of mortgage sales sees a continued downward trend as the age band rises.

Product sales data (PSD) is collected by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and includes new sales (including remortgages); transfers, top-ups, alterations (such as mortgage switches with the same lender). It does not include data on transactions made through fund supermarkets and nominee accounts (such as those used in platforms) and, increments and renewals are generally not included according to the source. In the United Kingdom all home finance providers are required to submit the mortgage PSD.

While the market has recovered well since the financial crisis, often growing by a double-digit percentage year-on-year, rising economic uncertainties will dampen the prospects for future growth over the coming years. During 2017-21, gross advances are expected to record a CAGR of 5.7%, reaching £327.0bn by the end of the forecast period. Read More

Between 2006 and 2024, year-on-year change consumer loans in the United Kingdom (UK) fluctuated more than mortgage lending. After a very sharp fall in mid to late 2020 and early 2021, the value of consumer credit began to increase again, reaching a positive annual growth rate of 6.5 percent in December 2024. Meanwhile, the year-on-year change of mortgages kept growing in 2024 from -0.1 percent in January 2024 to 1.5 percent in December 2024.

Expenditure on rent by renters and mortgages by mortgage holders, by region and age from the Living Costs and Food Survey for the financial year ending 2022. Data is presented as a proportion of total expenditure and a proportion of disposable income.

This data set contains Help to Buy: Equity Loan statistics at local authority level and includes total equity loans and equity loans to first time buyers . For data released from 5 March 2015 onwards, the Homes and Community Agency (HCA) have revised the completion date for the entire Help to Buy Equity Loan time series. The HCA have stopped counting payment date (when the money out is paid out by the HCA) and now report on the expected actual completion date. It is more accurate and is closer to the live situation, especially when HCA now recognise an asset based on a completion, rather than exchange and approved claim. As a result (and due to reinstating accounts) HCA have seen movement of actual completions dates. There should not be this level of difference moving forward, it was a one off activity. The figures cover the launch of the scheme on 1 April 2013 until 30 September 2016.

Information on the allocation of completed sales to postcode sectors is derived using the latest available information on the full postcode for each scheme, which may be subject to revision.

For sales before 31 March 2014, properties are included under the local authority district to which they were initially allocated. In some cases, this differs from latest information, which forms the basis of the first column of local authority district figures. Figures for some local authorities may be subject to revisions later in the year.

Although local authority information is validated against other geographic data at the time of data entry, detailed reconciliation of the data, conducted twice a year, may result in a small number of changes to these monthly releases, for example where a new development crosses a local authority boundary.

An equity loan is Government financial assistance given to eligible applicants to purchase an eligible home through a Government equity mortgage secured on the home. The Government equity mortgage is ranked second in priority behind an owner’s main mortgage lender.

This scheme offers up to 20 per cent of the value as Government assistance to purchasers buying a new build home. The buyer must provide a cash deposit of at least 5 per cent and a main mortgage lender must provide a loan of at least 75 per cent.

The Government assistance to buy is made through an equity loan made by the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) to the purchaser.

Help to Buy equity loans are only available on new build homes and the maximum purchase price is £600,000. Equity loan assistance for purchasers is paid via house builders registered with the HCA to participate in the Help to Buy equity loan initiative. The payment is made to builders (via solicitors) at purchaser legal completion.

The equity loan is provided without fees for the first five years of ownership.

The property title is held by the home owner who can therefore sell their home at any time and upon sale should provide the government the value of the same equity share of the property when it is sold.

For further information see
Help to Buy (equity loan) scheme monthly statistics.

UK adults aged 35 to 44 were most likely to have a mortgage loan in 2022, with more than half of the respondents in a nationally representative survey sharing that they held one in their own name or joint names. The average for the country stood at 28 percent at that time. Among older generations, the percentage of mortgage holders declined, as these were more likely to have already paid off their mortgage.

About 1.4 million households with mortgages up for renewal in the United Kingdom (UK) will face increasing monthly costs by the end of 2024 because of the aggressive mortgage interest hikes since the beginning of 2022. For about one million of these households, the increase will be between one British pound and 300 British pounds, while for 388,000 households, the increase will be higher. By December 2026, the number of households with rising mortgage payments is projected at 3.9 million. Meanwhile, about two million mortgage borrowers are expected to benefit from reduced mortgage payments by the end of 2026.

Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.The Opinions and Lifestyle Survey (formerly known as the ONS Opinions Survey or Omnibus) is an omnibus survey that began in 1990, collecting data on a range of subjects commissioned by both the ONS internally and external clients (limited to other government departments, charities, non-profit organisations and academia).Data are collected from one individual aged 16 or over, selected from each sampled private household. Personal data include data on the individual, their family, address, household, income and education, plus responses and opinions on a variety of subjects within commissioned modules. The questionnaire collects timely data for research and policy analysis evaluation on the social impacts of recent topics of national importance, such as the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and the cost of living, on individuals and households in Great Britain. From April 2018 to November 2019, the design of the OPN changed from face-to-face to a mixed-mode design (online first with telephone interviewing where necessary). Mixed-mode collection allows respondents to complete the survey more flexibly and provides a more cost-effective service for customers. In March 2020, the OPN was adapted to become a weekly survey used to collect data on the social impacts of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on the lives of people of Great Britain. These data are held in the Secure Access study, SN 8635, ONS Opinions and Lifestyle Survey, Covid-19 Module, 2020-2022: Secure Access. From August 2021, as coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions were lifting across Great Britain, the OPN moved to fortnightly data collection, sampling around 5,000 households in each survey wave to ensure the survey remains sustainable. The OPN has since expanded to include questions on other topics of national importance, such as health and the cost of living. For more information about the survey and its methodology, see the ONS OPN Quality and Methodology Information webpage.Secure Access Opinions and Lifestyle Survey dataOther Secure Access OPN data cover modules run at various points from 1997-2019, on Census religion (SN 8078), cervical cancer screening (SN 8080), contact after separation (SN 8089), contraception (SN 8095), disability (SNs 8680 and 8096), general lifestyle (SN 8092), illness and activity (SN 8094), and non-resident parental contact (SN 8093). See Opinions and Lifestyle Survey: Secure Access for details. Main Topics:Each month's questionnaire consists of two elements: core questions, covering demographic information, are asked each month together with non-core questions that vary from month to month. The non-core questions for this month were: Company Cars (Module 1a): questions about the number of company cars in the household; total mileage and total business mileage; age of car and value of car when new; engine size. Mortgage Arrears (Module 2): source of mortgage, if any; whether behind in payments, and if so reasons for falling behind. Also question on whether bought from a Right to Buy scheme. Investment (Module 7a): ownership of shares and income from shares, bank accounts and building society accounts. Overseas Transactions (Module 58): financial transactions (receipts or payments) made as a private individual in the past 12 months; value in pound sterling; currency of transaction; reasons for transaction. Youth Services (Module 76): young people aged 11-25 were asked about leisure time activities; whether belongs or goes to a youth club, youth centre, youth group or youth organisation, or takes part in any other youth service activity; whether has ever belonged to a youth organisation; types of groups belongs to and who runs them; how often attends; any voluntary organisations belongs to; type of youth project takes part in and who runs it; whether has taken part in running a youth organisation; attitudes toward the Youth Service; reasons for attending/not attending. GP Accidents (Module 78): accidents in previous three months that resulted in seeing a doctor or going to hospital; where accident happened; whether saw a GP or went straight to hospital. Arrears and Repossessions (Module 79): questions about mortgage arrears and repossessions or voluntary surrenders of accommodation as a result of falling behind with mortgage payments. Marital Status and Cohabitation (Module 90): marital status and marital history; reasons for getting married if living together before marrying; history of previous cohabitation relationships that did not lead to marriage. Buying With a Mortgage (Module 91): reasons for becoming an owner occupier; year present home was bought; purchase price and original amount borrowed; whether previously owned home; whether bought under right to buy scheme; whether re-mortgaged or extended amount borrowed; value of house now; mortgage repayments; assistance with mortgage interest from the Department of Social Security; mortgage arrears in past three years; whether has mortgage protection policy and if so whether has tried to draw on it in past three years; debts on loans, hire purchase or services; net income and sources of income of respondent and spouse; increase or decrease of income over last three years and reasons; whether has any difficulties in paying for housing at present. The data for module 90 are under embargo and are therefore not currently available.

Just as in many other countries, the housing market in the UK grew substantially during the coronavirus pandemic, fueled by robust demand and low borrowing costs. Nevertheless, high inflation and the increase in mortgage rates has led to house price growth slowing down. According to the forecast, 2024 is expected to see house prices decrease by three percent. Between 2024 and 2028, the average house price growth is projected at 2.7 percent. A contraction after a period of continuous growth In June 2022, the UK's house price index exceeded 150 index points, meaning that since 2015 which was the base year for the index, house prices had increased by 50 percent. In just two years, between 2020 and 2022, the index surged by 30 index points. As the market stood in December 2023, the average price for a home stood at approximately 284,691 British pounds. Rents are expected to continue to grow According to another forecast, the prime residential market is also expected to see rental prices grow in the next years. Growth is forecast to be stronger in 2024 and slow down in the period between 2025 and 2028. The rental market in London is expected to follow a similar trend, with Central London slightly outperforming Greater London.

The distribution of all owner-occupier households in England in 2024 varied per age group, as well as the type of home financing. The older the age group, the larger the share of owner-occupier homeowners who purchased their home outright. A share of 2.1 percent of own outright homeowners were between the ages of 25 to 34, whereas a share of 62.1 percent of own outright homeowners were aged 65 and over. Although this is the case, the largest share of homeowners who purchased their house with a mortgage was in the age range of 35 to 44 years old.

Mortgage rates in the United Kingdom (UK) have risen dramatically since the beginning of 2022, causing concerns about households with loans up for renewal facing notable increases in costs. That is the case for 1.4 million fixed rate mortgages up for renewal in 2023. This type of mortgage is a popular choice among homebuyers because it allows them to lock in the interest rate for a specific period. After the period runs out, homebuyers need to renegotiate the loan or switch to a variable interest rate. The vast majority of loans up for renewal until 2024 have an initial effective mortgage rate of less than 2.5 percent - significantly lower than the current mortgage rates.

About 36 percent of homeowners in England were aged 65 and above, which contrasts sharply with younger age groups, particularly those under 35. Young adults between 25 and 35, made up 15 percent of homeowners and had a dramatically lower homeownership rate. The disparity highlights the growing challenges faced by younger generations in entering the property market, a trend that has significant implications for wealth distribution and social mobility. Barriers to homeownership for young adults The path to homeownership has become increasingly difficult for young adults in the UK. A 2023 survey revealed that mortgage affordability was the greatest obstacle to property purchase. This represents a 39 percent increase from 2021, reflecting the impact of rising house prices and mortgage rates. Despite these challenges, one in three young adults still aspire to get on the property ladder as soon as possible, though many have put their plans on hold. The need for additional financial support from family, friends, and lenders has become more prevalent, with one in five young adults acknowledging this necessity. Regional disparities and housing supply The housing market in England faces regional challenges, with North West England and the West Midlands experiencing the largest mismatch between housing supply and demand in 2023. This imbalance is evident in the discrepancy between new homes added to the housing stock and the number of new households formed. London, despite showing signs of housing shortage, has seen the largest difference between homes built and households formed. The construction of new homes has been volatile, with a significant drop in 2020, a rebound in 2021 and a gradual decline until 2024.

In 2022, house price growth in the UK slowed, after a period of decade-long increase. Nevertheless, in August 2024, prices reached a new peak, with the average home costing close to 290,000 British pounds. That figure refers to all property types, including detached, semi-detached, terraced houses, and flats and maisonettes. Compared to other European countries, the UK had some of the highest house prices. How have UK house prices increased over the last 10 years? Property prices have risen dramatically over the past decade. According to the UK house price index, the average house price has grown by over 50 percent since 2015. This price development has led to the gap between the cost of buying and renting a property to close. In 2023, buying a three-bedroom house in the UK was no longer more affordable than renting one. Consequently, Brits have become more likely to rent longer and push off making a house purchase until they have saved up enough for a down payment and achieved the financial stability required to make the step. What caused the decline in house prices in 2022? House prices are affected by multiple factors, such as mortgage rates, supply, and demand on the market. For nearly a decade, the UK experienced uninterrupted house price growth as a result of strong demand and a chronic undersupply. Homebuyers who purchased a property at the peak of the housing boom in July 2022 paid 14 percent more compared to what they would have paid a year before. Additionally, 2022 saw the most dramatic increase in mortgage rates in recent history. Between December 2021 and December 2022, the 10-year fixed mortgage rate doubled, adding further strain to prospective homebuyers. As a result, the market cooled, leading to a correction in pricing.

England accounts for the majority of sales in the residential real estate market in the United Kingdom. In September 2024, the total number of housing transactions in the country amounted to nearly 92,000, with approximately 80,000 of these property sales being completed in England. Historically, sales activity has observed notable fluctuations because of the seasonal nature of the market, but also other trends in the market, such as the slump in April 2020 related to the COVID-19 pandemic A declining number of home sales The annual number of home sales in the UK has declined since 2021, with 2023 exhibiting the lowest transaction volume since 2012. The main reason for that trend is the increase in the cost of housing. House prices grew year-on-year between 2012 and 2022, with growth accelerating toward the end of the period due to the record-low mortgage rates. As the cost of living crisis hit in 2022, the Bank of England hiked interest rates, resulting in dramatically higher home finance costs. With house prices at their peak and a double increase in borrowing costs, many prospective homebuyers could not afford to buy and placed their plans on hold. How will prices develop in the next five years? After a slight decline in 2024, house prices in the UK are expected to pick up in the next year and continue on an upward trend until 2028. On average, house prices are projected to grow by 2.7 percent per year.

When comparing the mortgage or rental costs incurred by owners with mortgage, private renters and social renters in England, private renters pay a considerably larger share of their income than the other two groups. While owner occupiers with mortgages paid approximately 18.7 percent of their income on mortgage in 2024, private renters paid 34 percent, or more than one third. In terms of average monthly costs, renting a three-bedroom house is more expensive than buying.