Nationwide’s decision to offer borrowing of up to six times income has seen a 53 per cent increase in the number of first time buyers using its Helping Hand mortgage.
Between October 2024 and September 2025, 23,000 people utilised the bank’s Helping Hand offering compared to around 15,000 in the 12 months prior.
Meanwhile, the number of Helping Hand completions on new build properties between October 2024 and September 2025 also rose, increasing by 102 per cent.
Nationwide group director of mortgages, Henry Jordan, said: “Affordability remains a significant barrier to home ownership.
“We introduced Helping Hand in April 2021 to address this, and we’re delighted to see the positive impact it’s made for so many of our members, supporting more than 63,000 into their first home.
“These latest figures for the past 12 months show that our decision to increase borrowing up to six times income has been a game-changer for thousands of first-time buyers.
“But we’re not stopping there, and with the support of government and regulatory changes throughout 2025, we’ve been able to progressively increase our support for potential homeowners as we continue to put first-time buyers first.”
John Charcol mortgage technical manager, Nicholas Mendes, said the figures highlight how “positive” innovation in the mortgage market can be.
“The decision to allow borrowing up to six times income has opened more conversations with would-be buyers who had not imagined they could get on the ladder,” he said.
Mendes also pointed out the innovation is “not simply about larger loans” but is also about enabling financially stable borrowers, such as key workers and young professionals, to buy sooner.
“It is understandable that some borrowers are cautious about higher income multiples. Lenders do, however, underwrite thoroughly to ensure borrowing is affordable and sustainable,” he continued.
“This underscores the value of speaking to a mortgage broker to understand how this, and any mortgage product, fits your needs and circumstances.”
Helping Hand was launched in 2021 and gives eligible first-time buyers the option of borrowing up to six times income when taking a five or ten-year fixed rate mortgage up to 95 per cent LTV.
tom.dunstan@ft.com
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