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UK risks ‘lost generation of homeowners’, report states


By Goran Nastic

The UK risks creating a "lost generation of homeowners" as confidence in buying a home falls sharply after people reach their mid-40s, despite homeownership remaining a key aspiration, a new report by the Yorkshire Building Society has warned.

According to the report, 'No Way Home? Restoring Britain's Housing Ladder', while 88% of adults said owning a home was important, the proportion hoping to buy dropped from 76% among 25 to 34-year-olds to 38% for 45 to 54-year-olds and just 8% for over-65s


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Mortgage searches return to growth in June

Mortgage search activity increased in June, marking the first month of the year to record both month-on-month and year-on-year growth, Twenty7tec has revealed

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Inheritance tax receipts to climb due to ageing population - OBR

Receipts from inheritance tax (IHT) and capital gains tax (CGT) will see a steep rise over the next 50 years, as will state pension spend, as the UK population ages and wealth is transferred between generations, according to the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR).

In its latest Fiscal Risks and Sustainability Report, the OBR projected IHT and CGT receipts will increase from 1.4% of GDP in 2030-31 to 2.2% by 2075-76 under its baseline scenario, driven by the proportion of people aged over 80 rising from 5% in 2025 to 12% in 2075

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UK PRS is becoming ‘increasingly professionalised’

The private rented sector (PRS) is becoming "increasingly professionalised", with landlords managing larger portfolios and creating growing demand for specialist and portfolio lending solutions, Pegasus Insight has stated

Aviva teams with Ortec Finance to address the advice gap

Aviva has partnered with Ortec Finance to expand access to personalised financial guidance and advice

Pure Retirement

Homebuyer demand slips in Q2

Homebuyer demand in England has fallen by 1.1% quarter-on-quarter in Q2, with a continued regional divide recorded across the country, eXp UK has revealed
Lower mansion tax threshold could widen impact on homeowners

Lowering the proposed threshold for Labour's planned council tax surcharge on higher-value homes from £2m to £1.5m could bring significantly more homeowners into scope, Saltus has warned

Pure Retirement

UK house prices increase slightly in June - Lloyds HPI

UK house prices edged higher in June, increasing by 0.2% month-on-month after a 0.2% fall in May, while annual growth accelerated slightly to 0.6% from 0.5%, according to the newly renamed Lloyds house price index (HPI).

The latest Lloyds HPI, formerly Halifax HPI,, showed the average UK house price rose to £299,330 in June, up from £298,812 in May

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Lower mansion tax threshold could widen impact on homeowners

Lowering the proposed threshold for Labour's planned council tax surcharge on higher-value homes from £2m to £1.5m could bring significantly more homeowners into scope, Saltus has warned

Inheritance tax receipts to climb due to ageing population - OBR

Receipts from inheritance tax (IHT) and capital gains tax (CGT) will see a steep rise over the next 50 years, as will state pension spend, as the UK population ages and wealth is transferred between generations, according to the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR). In its latest Fiscal Risks and Sustainability Report, the OBR projected IHT and CGT receipts will increase from 1.4% of GDP in 2030-31 to 2.2% by 2075-76 under its baseline scenario, driven by the proportion of people aged over 80 rising from 5% in 2025 to 12% in 2075

Third of people unaware of changes to IHT and pension rules

Almost a third (32%) of people do not know how upcoming changes to pensions and inheritance tax (IHT) will affect them, Hargreaves Lansdown has revealed

Frozen tax thresholds push HMRC income tax and NICs receipts higher in May

HMRC collected £153.7bn in tax and National Insurance contributions (NICs) between April and May 2026, up £9.8bn year-on-year, driven largely by stronger income tax and NIC receipts

FSCS pays out £125m in compensation for unsuitable advice in 2025/26

The Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) paid out more than £125m in compensation to customers who received unsuitable investment, pension, and self-invested personal pension (SIPP) advice in 2025/26, its Annual Report and Accounts has revealed

FCA consults on investment disclosure regime for advisers and wealth managers

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has launched a consultation on simplifying how advisers, wealth managers, and platforms communicate the costs of investing

PIMFA and Macfarlanes publish guidance on ECCTA information sharing provisions

The Personal Investment Management & Financial Advice Association (PIMFA) and law firm Macfarlanes have published guidance on how wealth managers and financial advisers can use information sharing provisions set out in the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 (ECCTA)

More than half of regulated firms cannot verify business ownership

More than half of UK regulated firms are struggling to verify who ultimately owns or controls the businesses they deal with, creating significant exposure to fraud, sanctions breaches and financial crime, according to new research from compliance specialist SmartSearch

Halifax brand to disappear after 173 years

Lloyds Banking Group has today confirmed that the Halifax brand will change to Lloyds. Existing Halifax customers will start to use the Lloyds app in the coming months and will see their accounts rebranded to Lloyds over time. As part of this change, the Halifax brand will stop opening new accounts

£227bn sits in £10k+ current account balances earning no interest

More than six million current accounts pay no interest despite holding balances of £10,000 or more, with a combined £227bn in deposits, Spring has revealed

Bank of England base rate held at 3.75%

The Bank of England (BoE) has announced that interest rates will be held at 3.75%, the lowest bank base rate (BBR) since February 2023. The central bank's latest decision, which had been widely anticipated by economists, comes after inflation remained unchanged at 2.8% in May

Average high street easy access savings account rate falls below 1% - Spring

The average interest rate on a true high street easy access savings account has fallen below 1%, Spring has revealed

Less than half of adults know their pension is invested

Just 47% of British adults are aware that their pension is invested, Hargreaves Lansdown has found

Retirees under squeeze after 42% rise in living costs since 2020

Prices have risen by 42% since the start of the decade, significantly eroding the spending power of retirees, according to Standard Life, which said inflation-linked annuities can help protect retirement income against rising living costs

Unnamed oil and gas sector pension scheme secures £48m buy-in with Canada Life

An unnamed pension scheme in the oil and gas industry has completed a £48m full-scheme buy-in with Canada Life

Macfarlane pension scheme secures £53m buy-in with Royal London

The Macfarlane Group PLC Pension & Life Assurance Scheme (1974) has completed a £53m buy-in with Royal London

Wesleyan launches two new With Profits funds

Wesleyan has launched two new with-profit funds to increase access to the benefits of smoothed investments for advisers and their clients

Brokers report stalling demand in business borrowing

Demand for commercial finance has plateaued due to international conflict and interest rate expectations damping business confidence, according to Atom bank’s latest SME Pulse survey

ISA rule changes risk creating unintended barriers for savers

The Government’s proposed ISA reforms could create unintended consequences for savers by making portfolios less flexible and discouraging sensible financial planning, financial planners have warned. Under plans confirmed this week, interest earned on uninvested cash and cash-like assets held within a stocks & shares ISA will face a 22% tax charge from April 202

Over half of adults change savings plans in response to inflation

Over half (55%) of UK adults have changed their savings or financial plans in response to rising living costs and inflation, Chetwood Bank has revealed

AI will transform financial services by 2030 - FCA

Artificial intelligence will fundamentally reshape retail financial services by 2030, bringing significant opportunities for consumers and firms alongside heightened risks, according to a first-of-its-kind review by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). The Mills Review, led by executive director Sheldon Mills, found growing consumer appetite for agentic AI, with research suggesting around one in five people, equivalent to 11 million UK adults, are likely to use AI capable of acting autonomously within predefined goals.

AI could reshape retirement planning but raises new risks - Aon

Artificial intelligence (AI) is set to play a growing role in how people plan for retirement, but new research from Aon argues it should complement rather than replace human advice

Rosemount Financial Solutions (IFA) launches new AI-powered tool

Rosemount Financial Solutions (IFA) has announced the launch of ProCeding, its new AI-powered tool designed to simplify dealing with ceding scheme providers

Firms collaborate to drive modernisation in homebuying process

Proptech firms and software developers across the homebuying sector have collaborated in a series of hackathons designed to test how property data can be shared across the home-moving process

Primis adds West One to bridging panel

West One has become the latest firm to join Primis’ panel of approved bridging lenders

News in brief - 9 July 2026

Today's round up of developments coming out of the consumer finance space, featuring GB Bank, Molo, Quilter Financial Planning, Landbay and Paragon Bank

Aviva teams with Ortec Finance to address the advice gap

Aviva has partnered with Ortec Finance to expand access to personalised financial guidance and advice

News in brief - 8 July 2026

Today's round up of developments coming out of the consumer finance space, featuring Nationwide, LiveMore, Landbay, Accord Mortgages and United Trust Bank

BLOG: Royal London Equity Release: How high-net-worth individuals could benefit from releasing equity with the exclusive Premier product offering

In February 2026, we were recognised at the MoneyAge Mortgage Awards, taking home the title of ‘Later Life Lender of the Year’, with judges highlighting our rapid distribution growth, extensive adviser engagement and meaningful product enhancements. As an equity release provider, our approach is rooted in a holistic view of retirement, aiming to provide good customer outcomes with backing from the UK’s largest mutual life, pensions and investment company* – but what can we offer you and your clients?

BLOG: Are added-value services the key to engaging clients in protection?

Scottish Widows Protection Director, Rose St Louis, discusses how reframing protection conversations can help to engage clients

BLOG: Award-winning lending, built brick by brick

Saffron for Intermediaries discusses its latest lending offering on the MoneyAge blog

BLOG: Doing Good is Good Business

MoneyAge Awards winner Bespoke Advice discusses the key fundamentals of good financial planning in our latest blog piece

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Later Life Lending: It’s more than just equity release or retirement interest only (RIO)

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