Santander UK comments on the health of the first-time buyer market

28 May 2026

David Morris, Head of Consumer Lending at Santander UK comments:

“Homeownership delivers huge benefits for consumers and the wider UK economy, and while today's backdrop of rising living costs and unemployment means getting onto the ladder for some remains challenging, overall, there are real - and tangible - signs the market is moving in the right direction.

“Recent developments have helped more first-time buyers onto the property ladder - from regulatory changes enabling lenders to reduce affordability rates allowing them to lend more, to the Mortgage Guarantee Scheme. At Santander UK, we have been able to support significantly more FTBs in 2026, compared to previous years. Yet, there is of course still more to be done as an industry, with continued innovation in our products and services being critical. Innovation in the market so far has allowed lenders like us to provide more high loan-to-value products, requiring smaller deposits to further support would-be home owners."

"With wages now outpacing house price growth, the dream of owning a home is feeling within reach again for many aspiring buyers.”