x
By using this website, you agree to our use of cookies to enhance your experience.

Lloyds Banking Group has pledged to support first-time buyers by committing to lend £10 billion in 2014 to help them climb on the property ladder.

Lloyds expects this to help 80,000 first-time buyers by the end of 2014, as it claims to offer the most comprehensive proposition on the UK mortgage market.

It will do this by providing one in three mortgages on affordable housing schemes, including shared ownership and shared equity.

The lender will continue to support government initiatives such as Help to Buy and funding one-third of all lending on UK new-built properties.

Lloyds is also lending to borrowers with 5% deposit through its Local Lend a Hand scheme, with over 60 participating local authorities.

Mortgage director Stephen Noakes said: "This is the third consecutive year that we've undertaken a huge commitment to helping first-time buyers and each year we are aiming to make the mortgage market more accessible for more people.

"We are now seeing increased confidence in the housing market, and this is underpinned by more people getting on the first rung of the property ladder."

Last year, Lloyds committed to lending £6.5 billion to support 60,000 first-time buyers, a target it achieved in October.

Its initiative comes as new research from the Post Office shows that first-time buyer optimism is returning, with 36% now looking to buy in the immediate future.

Many are making big sacrifices to do so, with over half willing to give up their weekend social life to save a deposit.

Yet the number who have no intention of buying doubled in 2013, from 5% to 10%.

John Willcock, head of mortgages at Post Office, said: "For many people owning their own home is a dream they are determined to make a reality, and our report highlights the lengths some will go to.

"Since the recession in 2008, people have taken extra steps to save money for a deposit. However, the launch of the government's Help to Buy scheme and a raft of affordable loans on the market look to have rallied optimism amongst first-time buyers."

Comments

MovePal MovePal MovePal