IMLA welcomes Yorkshire Building Society report calling for action to restore the housing ladder

09 July 2026

London, 9th July 2026

The Intermediary Mortgage Lenders Association (IMLA) has welcomed Yorkshire Building Society's new No Way Home? Restoring Britain's Housing Ladder report, saying it reinforces the urgent need for government, regulators and the mortgage industry to work together to remove unnecessary barriers to homeownership.

The report highlights the growing gap between the public's enduring aspiration to own a home and declining confidence that homeownership is actually achievable. While 88% of UK adults say owning a home remains important, many aspiring buyers feel locked out by affordability pressures, high deposits and uncertainty about whether they could secure a mortgage.

IMLA believes these findings closely reflect its own research, which estimates that around 3.5 million households who might reasonably have been expected to become homeowners since the 2008 financial crisis are still waiting to get onto the housing ladder.

The association also welcomed the report's recognition that homeownership delivers benefits well beyond simply owning an asset. Yorkshire Building Society found that perceptions of homeownership become increasingly positive among those who have experienced it, with 59% of renters and aspiring buyers associating ownership with stability, rising to 70% of second-steppers and 77% of established homeowners.

Kate Davies, executive director of IMLA, said:

"This report makes a compelling and evidence-based case for why homeownership still matters deeply to people, despite becoming increasingly difficult to achieve.

"At IMLA we have long argued that buying a home remains one of the most effective ways for ordinary households to build long-term financial security. Yorkshire Building Society's research reinforces that conclusion, estimating that today's younger generations could face a wealth gap of up to £1.6 million by retirement if they never get onto the housing ladder. That chimes closely with IMLA's own research, which has consistently shown that the long-term financial cost of remaining outside homeownership can be enormous."

Davies said the report also highlighted an issue the mortgage industry must continue to address.

"One of the most striking findings is that many aspiring first-time buyers assume they cannot obtain a mortgage when, in reality, they may be much closer than they think. Mortgage lending has evolved significantly in recent years, with lenders introducing innovative products, higher loan-to-value mortgages, more flexible affordability assessments and solutions designed specifically to help first-time buyers.

"Too many people simply rule themselves out before ever speaking to a mortgage adviser. Our message would be straightforward: don't make assumptions. Speak to an adviser and understand what options are actually available."

IMLA also backed the report's call for renewed government support for aspiring homeowners alongside measures to increase housing supply, and more support for landlords.

"Support for first-time buyers must always go hand in hand with increasing the supply of homes if we are to avoid simply pushing prices higher. We also believe government should recognise the important contribution responsible landlords make in providing homes for millions of renters. A healthy private rented sector and a healthy owner-occupied sector are complementary, not competing, parts of a well-functioning housing market.

"The housing ladder only works when people can move onto it and progress through it. Restoring confidence in homeownership would benefit not just aspiring buyers but the wider economy, creating stronger housing chains, greater labour mobility and long-term financial resilience for millions of households."