Nationwide Building Society has reported a 53% increase in the number of first-time buyers using its Helping Hand mortgage since raising the maximum borrowing limit to six times income.
Between October 2024 and September 2025, the mutual supported around 23,000 people into their first home through the product, up from 15,000 in the previous 12 months.
Helping Hand completions on new-build homes also rose sharply over the same period, increasing by 102% as the higher loan-to-income (LTI) limit and supportive regulatory changes helped more borrowers access the market.
The Financial Conduct Authority’s clarification of stress rate rules and the Prudential Regulation Authority’s relaxation of LTI flow limits earlier in the year both contributed to improved affordability.
Henry Jordan, group director of mortgages at Nationwide, said: “Affordability remains a significant barrier to homeownership.
“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 gamechanger 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.”
Launched in 2021, Helping Hand allows eligible first-time buyers to borrow up to six times income on 5-year or 10-year fixed rate mortgages up to 95% loan-to-value (LTV).
Since launch, Nationwide has helped more than 63,000 people buy their first home, lending around £13bn through the product.
Average Helping Hand applicants are aged 30 to 31, two to three years younger than the market average, according to UK Finance.
Nicholas Mendes, mortgage technical manager at John Charcol, said: “Nationwide’s figures highlight how positive innovation in the mortgage market can be.
“A 53% jump in first-time buyers using Helping Hand over the past year underlines pent-up demand among aspiring homeowners and the impact of more flexible lending criteria.
“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.
“It is also helping to push marginal cases over the line. That is a vital boost for those struggling to bridge the gap between wages and house prices, particularly in high-cost regions such as London and the South-East.
“Nationwide’s proactive response to regulatory changes shows how lenders can adapt safely to changing conditions and continue to support home ownership in a sustainable way.”
