Editor's note: This brief was summarised by The Property AI Newsroom from a report by Mortgage Strategy. Read the original article for full details.

First-Time Buyers Receive £11bn in Family Support, Savills Reports

First-time buyers in the UK received £11 billion in financial support from family members, according to a recent survey by estate agent Savills. The research highlights that more than half of first-time buyers relied on gifts, loans, or inheritance from relatives to help them onto the property ladder.

Savills, working with Insight Advantage, found that 53% of first-time buyers received direct financial support from family. This support came in the form of outright gifts, loans, or inheritance, with outright gifts being the most common. Twice as many buyers received gifts (32%) compared to those who benefited from family loans (16%).

The total value of gifts and loans from family members reached £8.3 billion in 2025, rising to £11 billion when inheritance is included. The research also revealed that nearly half of those receiving family support relied on relatives beyond their parents, such as grandparents and other family members.

Inheritance played a notable role, with 14% of first-time buyers drawing on inherited wealth. This is slightly higher than the proportion using government home buying schemes, which stood at 12%.

The average first-time buyer used £24,261 of their own savings to purchase a home, accounting for 44% of the average deposit. The remainder of the deposit typically came from a mix of family support and other sources.

Younger buyers were found to be more dependent on family assistance. Nearly two-thirds (63%) of first-time buyers aged 20–24 received some form of financial help, compared to 44% of buyers aged 45 and over.

For letting agents and inventory clerks, these findings underline the continued importance of family wealth in enabling new entrants to the UK property market. The reliance on gifts, loans, and inheritance may influence the types of tenants and buyers agents encounter, as well as the financial backgrounds of those seeking to rent or purchase property.