New research from UK Finance has revealed sharp differences in mortgage affordability and buy-to-let returns across the UK.
The figures show that 723,000 residential mortgages were advanced in 2025, up 17% year-on-year.
At a UK level, homebuyers spend on average just over a fifth (21.3%) of their gross income – the highest level since 2008.
At a Local Authority level, borrowers in two places – North Norfolk in East Anglia (25.7%) and the London Borough of Hillingdon (25.1%) – spent over a quarter of their gross income on mortgage repayments.
The remaining eight of the top 10 least affordable places were in the London commuter belt, in places like Luton (24.9%), Slough (24.8%) and Spelthorne (24.8%).
At the other end of the scale, seven of the 10 most affordable Local Authorities were in Scotland, in places like East Ayrshire and Inverclyde, with borrowers there needing almost nine percentage points less of their gross income to cover initial mortgage payments compared with those borrowing in North Norfolk.
Although the City of London is predominantly a business district with limited residential stock, its high earning buyer profile means it ranks among the most affordable areas on this measure.
Type of mortgage and outstanding debt
Reflecting regional differences in house prices, average levels of mortgage debt also vary across the country.
In London, the typical borrower has £280,000 of mortgage debt, almost £70,000 more than in the South East, the region with the next highest level. Meanwhile, Northern Ireland had the lowest average mortgage debt at £99,500.
Across the country, 12-14% of borrowers in most regions are on variable rates. However, in London the proportion is higher at 16% and Northern Ireland is higher still at 18%.
The regional profile of interest-only mortgages shows a larger degree of variation. At the higher end of the scale, 12% of mortgages in London are interest-only, compared to just 5% across the North, Yorkshire and Humber and Scotland, and 4% in Northern Ireland.
Buy-to-let returns strongest in Scotland
Stamp duty surcharges, the progressive removal of income tax relief for mortgage interest and stricter underwriting standards have all raised challenges for the buy-to-let sector. These factors have reduced profitability and prompted some landlords to exit the market.
Despite this, all regions of the UK saw growth in buy-to-let purchase activity in 2025 but returns vary widely.
The highest rental yields are all located in Scotland where you can get a gross yield of over 9%.
At the other end of the scale, the lowest returns were scattered across England, from South Hams in Devon (5%), to Cambridge in East Anglia (5.3%), to the Derbyshire Dales (5.3%) and Rutland (5.4%).
James Tatch, head of analytics at UK Finance, said: “It’s been challenging times for those trying to buy a property in recent years, with affordability pressures weighing heavy. But the pain is not felt equally across the country. Property prices, wages and demographics vary greatly across and within regions. All of these have an impact on affordability and if you’re a landlord, how profitable your investment property is.
“The UK housing market faces both challenges and opportunities at a national and local level, and understanding these local markets enables better decision making from government, local authorities and others. We look forward to continuing our work with these stakeholders to improve the mortgage market.”
