Mortgage affordability hits two-decade low

Homebuyers are experiencing the highest mortgage affordability pressures in nearly 20 years, with repayments consuming 21.3% of gross income, according to UK Finance. 

The data showed that 723,000 house purchase mortgages advanced in 2025, up 17 per cent year-on-year with average borrower spends 21.3 per cent of gross income on repayments.

The analysis shows significant regional variation in how much of their gross household income borrowers commit to initial mortgage repayments – a key measure of affordability.

At a UK level, homebuyers spend on average just over a fifth (21.3 per cent) of their gross income – the highest level since 2008. At a Local Authority level, borrowers in two places – North Norfolk in East Anglia (25.7 per cent) and the London Borough of Hillingdon (25.1 per cent) – spent over a quarter of their gross income on mortgage repayments.

The remaining eight of the top ten least affordable places were in the London commuter belt, in places like Luton (24.9 per cent), Slough (24.8 per cent) and Spelthorne (24.8 per cent).

At the other end of the scale, seven of the ten most affordable Local Authorities were in Scotland, in places like East Ayrshire and Inverclyde, with borrowers there needing almost nine percentage points less of their gross income to cover initial mortgage payments compared with those borrowing in North Norfolk.

Although the City of London is predominantly a business district with limited residential stock, its high‑earning buyer profile means it ranks among the most affordable areas on this measure.

Stamp duty surcharges, the progressive removal of income tax relief for mortgage interest and stricter underwriting standards have all raised challenges for the buy-to-let (BTL) sector. These factors have reduced profitability and prompted some landlords to exit the market.

Despite this, all regions of the UK saw growth in BTL purchase activity in 2025, but returns vary widely. The highest rental yields are all located in Scotland, where you can get a gross yield of over nine per cent.

At the other end of the scale, the lowest returns were scattered across England, from South Hams in Devon (5 per cent), to Cambridge in East Anglia (5.3 per cent), to the Derbyshire Dales (5.3 per cent) and Rutland (5.4%).

Reflecting regional differences in house prices, average levels of mortgage debt also vary across the country. In London, the typical borrower has £280,000 of mortgage debt, almost £70,000 more than in the South East, the region with the next highest level. Meanwhile, Northern Ireland had the lowest average mortgage debt at £99,500.

Across the country, 12 to 14 per cent of borrowers in most regions are on variable rates. However, in London the proportion is higher at 16 per cent and Northern Ireland is higher still at 18 per cent.

The regional profile of interest-only (IO) mortgages shows a larger degree of variation. At the higher end of the scale, 12 per cent of mortgages in London are IO, while just five per cent of mortgages are IO across the North, Yorkshire and Humber and Scotland, and four per cent in Northern Ireland.

James Tatch, Head of Analytics at UK Finance, said “It’s been challenging times for those trying to buy a property in recent years, with affordability pressures weighing heavy. But the pain is not felt equally across the country. Property prices, wages and demographics vary greatly across and within regions.  All of these have an impact on affordability and if you’re a landlord, how profitable your investment property is.

“The UK housing market faces both challenges and opportunities at a national and local level, and understanding these local markets enables better decision making from government, local authorities and others. We look forward to continuing our work with these stakeholders to improve the mortgage market.”

Joe Pepper, UK CEO of PEXA, said “This report highlights how much the homebuying experience varies across the UK, underlining the importance of understanding local markets to support better decision-making. As the industry continues to digitise, there is a real opportunity to create a more efficient, transparent and responsive housing market for borrowers across the country.”