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First-time buyers in 2026: older, borrowing more, and stretched further

The middle first-time buyer borrowed 85.6% of the price, the most since before 2008. The latest official figures on age, borrowing and affordability.

Starterly research · 3 min read · Updated

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The short answer

The latest official figures, published in 2026, show first-time buyers are getting older and borrowing more. The middle first-time buyer in the most recent full year, 2025, borrowed 85.6% of the price, the highest since before the 2008 crash, and 3.6 times their income. The average first-time buyer in England is 34, or 35 in London.

of the price borrowed by the middle first-time buyer in 2025
85.6%
their income, borrowed by the middle first-time buyer
3.6×
the average age of a first-time buyer in England outside London (35 in London)
34

Smaller deposits, bigger loans

In 2025, 379,207 first-time buyer mortgages were taken out in the UK. Line them all up by how much they borrowed compared with the price, and the one in the middle borrowed 85.6%, up from 85% a year before. That's a deposit of about 14.4%, and the highest borrowing since before the 2008 financial crisis, according to the Office for National Statistics.

They borrowed more compared with their pay too. The middle first-time buyer's loan was 3.6 times their income, up from 3.5. It's highest in London and lowest in the North East.

How many times their income first-time buyers borrowed in 2025 (the middle buyer)

  • London4.0×
  • UK3.6×
  • North East3.0×
Source: ONS, Mortgage statistics, UK: 2025, from the Financial Conduct Authority's mortgage sales data.

Buying later than before

The English Housing Survey puts the average first-time buyer at 34 outside London, up from 32 in 2019 to 2020, and 35 in London, up from 33 ten years earlier. Of first-time buyer households, 29% were one person, 40% were couples without children and 25% were couples with children.

Where homes are most and least affordable

One way to measure how hard it is to buy is to compare the middle house price with the middle full-time pay of people who work in the area. In England a typical home cost 7.6 times typical pay in 2025, a little better than 7.8 the year before. In Wales it was 6.0.

House prices compared with full-time pay, 2025

Swipe the table sideways to see every column.

House prices compared with full-time pay, 2025
WhereTimes typical pay
Kensington and Chelsea25.2
London10.6
England7.6
Wales6.0
North East5.0
Hyndburn and Kingston upon Hull4.1
Source: ONS, Housing affordability in England and Wales: 2025. Median house price against median full-time earnings where people work.

How we put this together

These are the latest official figures as of 23 October 2026. "Middle" means the median: half of buyers are above it and half below. The mortgage figures cover the whole UK. The age and household figures are for England, and the affordability figures for England and Wales.

Common questions

What is the average age of a first-time buyer in the UK?
In England it's 34 outside London and 35 in London, according to the English Housing Survey 2024 to 2025. It was 32 outside London in 2019 to 2020.
How much do first-time buyers usually borrow?
In 2025 the middle first-time buyer borrowed 85.6% of the price and 3.6 times their income, according to the ONS.
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A guide, not financial or legal advice. Rules and rates change, so check with your lender, broker or solicitor. Where our numbers come from.

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