Our Blog

Thousands of young homeowners are putting themselves at risk of losing their homes because many have no insurance cover to protect against life’s unexpected shocks. New research has revealed that a large number of people aged 18 to 34 have little understanding of essential financial protection, and even fewer have taken steps to safeguard themselves¹.

Millions of households across the country are heading for a financial jolt as their fixed-rate mortgage deals start to come to an end. These deals were often taken out during the pandemic when interest rates were at record lows. Now, with those rates no longer available, many borrowers could see their monthly repayments rise sharply¹.

Getting on the property ladder has never been easy, but for many renters today, it feels almost impossible. You pay your rent on time every month often more than what a mortgage would cost but saving a deposit? That’s a whole other challenge. That’s where Skipton Building Society’s Track Record Mortgage comes in.It’s a product that’s made headlines and raised a few eyebrows but also offers a genuine lifeline to first-time buyers struggling with the deposit hurdle. Let’s break it down.

If you have children or grandchildren stuck renting, watching house prices rise, and struggling to scrape together a deposit, there might be some long-awaited good news.

A new No Deposit Mortgage from April Mortgages could help first-time buyers purchase their first home without needing any deposit at all.

If you're planning to buy a home in England or Northern Ireland this year, there's an important update you should know — stamp duty has increased.

From 1 April 2025, the government changed the rules, which means many home buyers will now pay more in stamp duty than they would have a few months ago.

The UK government has announced plans to increase the tax reporting threshold for side incomes from £1,000 to £3,000 by the end of 2029. This change is expected to remove up to 300,000 people from self-assessment tax returns, simplifying tax obligations for individuals earning from small-scale trading, freelancing, and online selling¹.

The UK property market has made a confident start to spring, with the average asking price of a home reaching a new record high. This comes despite the end of the temporary stamp duty relief at the beginning of April, demonstrating that both buyers and sellers remain active and engaged.

Buying your first home is exciting, but it can also feel overwhelming—especially when saving for a deposit, understanding mortgage options, and navigating rising house prices. If you or someone you know is trying to get onto the property ladder, there are government schemes and mortgage options that can help make buying a home more achievable.

If your five-year fixed mortgage deal is coming to an end, you might be wondering what to do next. Many homeowners who locked in a low fixed rate several years ago are now facing a different mortgage market, where rates have changed.

With 1.8 million people needing to remortgage this year, it is important to plan ahead. Speaking to a mortgage adviser can help you find the best option for your situation¹.

The Labour Government has announced plans to ban the sale of new leasehold flats in England and Wales, replacing them with a commonhold ownership structure. If passed into law, this change would mean that future flat buyers will own their property outright, rather than leasing it for a set period and paying service charges and ground rent to a freeholder¹.

A shift is taking place across the mortgage market, bringing a wave of opportunity for both prospective buyers and existing homeowners. Leading lenders are responding to expectations of falling interest rates by reducing mortgage pricing and easing affordability criteria. This development could enhance borrowing potential for many households in the months ahead.

For most people, their mortgage is their largest monthly financial commitment. However, few take the time to consider what might happen if they were suddenly unable to work due to illness or injury.

With rising household costs and increasing NHS waiting times, now is an ideal time to ask a simple but important question: could you still pay your mortgage if your income stopped for a few weeks or months?