Nationwide extends six times income mortgage lending beyond first-time buyers | Personal Finance | Finance

Nationwide Building Society has extended its high loan-to-income mortgage lending to support a wider range of borrowers, in a “boost” for the UK housing market. The change will see home movers and customers remortgaging able to borrow up to six times their income.

The move builds on Nationwide’s criteria changes in 2025, following last year’s regulatory changes aimed at opening up the mortgage market to support both borrowers and the Government’s housing ambitions. However, the mutual said it remains “fully committed” to its founding principle of helping people to buy a home of their own and will continue to target most of its high loan-to-income loans at first-time buyers through Helping Hand. Henry Jordan, Nationwide’s group director of mortgages, said: “The Government and regulatory changes last year have been a game-changer for first-time buyers. Alongside our Helping Hand expansion to six times income in September 2024, they’ve enabled greater support for those who need it most.”

He added: “Over the past year, we’ve seen a five-fold increase in the number of first-time buyers borrowing between 5.5 and six times income. Our latest announcement means we will provide similar support to those looking to move home or remortgage to Nationwide and shows our commitment to all parts of the market.”

Home movers and remortgage

Nationwide will now lend up to six times income to both new and existing customers moving home or remortgaging, up to 95% loan-to-value (LTV).

To qualify for the enhanced borrowing, new customers moving home or remortgaging to Nationwide will need a minimum annual income of £75,000 for sole applicants, or £100,000 for joint applications.

However, to support existing Nationwide customers who want to move to their next home in 2026, such as previous first-time buyers who benefited from Helping Hand, there will be no minimum income requirements.

For all remortgage applications that don’t require any additional borrowing, Nationwide already allows borrowing up to 6.5 times income at 95 % LTV.

First-time buyers

In 2025, Nationwide said it saw a 57% increase in the number of first-time buyer mortgages taken at or above five times income compared with 2024, as well as an over five-fold increase in loans to those borrowing at or above five and a half times their income.

This increased support for first-time buyers, as well as the ability to now widen and enhance lending, has been unlocked by the regulatory changes made last year, including the clarification of stress rate rules by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the review of the Loan-to-Income (LTI) flow limit by the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA).

Prior to today’s announcement, Nationwide eased lending criteria for higher LTI lending to first-time buyers in July.

Nationwide’s Helping Hand scheme, which allows lending up to six times income, remains available only to first-time buyers.

Nicholas Mendes, mortgage technical manager at John Charcol, said: “Nationwide extending six times income lending beyond first time buyers is a positive step, particularly as the first wave of Helping Hand customers starts to look at their next move, a remortgage, or additional borrowing.

“It supports borrowers who are constrained by income multiples rather than the monthly cost, and it shows how lenders are adapting to the reality of today’s housing market.

“With the right advice, borrowers can use that flexibility to move sooner and secure a deal that fits both the immediate need and the longer-term plan.”