London won’t come close to 88,000 homes a year by 2029 June 24, 2025 London’s housing crisis exists on a spectrum, from the weary resignation of young professionals, first-time buyers and university students – to an acute, impossible state of affairs for those stuck in mouldy homes or unable to pay rent. Few disagree that a housing crisis exists, and few can find good reasons to lament the government’s [...]
House prices dip in May after stamp duty change June 6, 2025 House prices in the UK fell slightly in May after market activity dropped following the end of the stamp duty holiday earlier this year according to the latest data from lender Halifax. Prices fell by 0.4 per cent in May after rising 0.3 per cent in April, putting the value of an average UK home [...]
Mortgage lending plummets in April as estate agents cross fingers for rate cut June 2, 2025 Mortgage lending dropped in April after the market ‘reset’ following the end of the stamp duty holiday, according to new figures. Net borrowing of mortgage debt decreased sharply by £13.7bn to -£0.8bn in April, according to the Bank of England’s latest data. Net mortgage approvals for house purchases also fell for the third consecutive month, [...]
Mortgage borrowing surges ahead of stamp duty changes May 1, 2025 Net borrowing or mortgages spiked by £9.7bn in March as house buyers looked to clinch deals before higher stamp duty taxes came into effect. Net borrowing levels exceeded £13bn, according to the Bank of England, as the rise compared to February beat market forecasts of £3.2bn. EY ITEM Club’s Matt Swannell said the surge in [...]
FCA to rip 140 pages out of handbook in deregulation drive April 16, 2025 The UK’s financial watchdog has vowed to rip scores of pages from its handbook as it slashes red tape in a drive to boost growth. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) said as many as 140 pages will be removed from the lengthy handbook, as it opened a consultation on scrapping data collection requirements. The move [...]
UK mortgage approvals dip in February March 31, 2025 Mortgage approvals for house purchases decreased again in February as gains in consumer credit borrowing slowed down by £300m compared to January, the Bank of England said on Tuesday. House buying appeared to slow down as lenders approved around 65,500 mortgages in February, compared to some 66,100 in January. January saw a decrease of around [...]
Spring Statement 2025: Housing reform to pave way for GDP growth March 26, 2025 The government’s changes to housebuilding will result in a £6.8bn boost to GDP by 2029, according to OBR figures included in the Spring Statement. Chancellor Rachel Reeves called the forecast the “biggest ever” positive growth impact that the OBR has projected from a non-fiscal government policy. Changes to the UK’s housebuilding market were a cornerstone [...]
Five reasons the UK has a housing crisis March 12, 2025 Britain's housing crisis is acute: the nation today has a backlog of 4.3m homes. Here's why.
Mortgage approvals up a fifth since January last year March 3, 2025 Mortgage approvals rose 18 per cent year on year in January after interest rate cuts improved affordability. Mortgage approvals sat at 66,189 in January, up 18 per cent from 55,941 in January 2024, according to ONS data. “UK homebuyers appear to have begun the year on the front foot,” CEO of specialist lender Octane Capital, [...]
UK mortgage approvals rise as buyers race to beat stamp duty changes January 30, 2025 The number of mortgages approved by the UK banking sector rose unexpectedly in December, according to new data, suggesting buyers are looking to beat upcoming changes to stamp duty. The Bank of England’s figures showed that 66,500 mortgages were approved last month, which was up from 66,100 approvals in November. Economists had expected the number [...]