Shared Ownership offers critical solution to homeownership challenge

Connells Group, the UK’s leading property services group, has revealed a significant 39% increase in first-time buyer registrations (Q3 2025 vs Q3 2024), underlining the growing desire for homeownership, despite affordability constraints.

The group has published its latest Shared Ownership Factsheets for Q3 2025, which highlight the growing demand from first-time buyers, as well as the clear affordability benefits to Shared Ownership: the national average monthly payment for a 25% Shared Ownership share is £691, 36% less than the average traditional mortgage payment of £1,080.

Roy Hind, Connells Group’s Affordable Housing Director, says, "Our data shows the demand to step onto the property ladder is clearly there, but as we well know, affordability has become a major blocker for first-time buyers wanting to purchase their first home. That’s why Shared Ownership is a vital solution for aspiring homeowners in today’s market, and one which needs to be prioritised across the housing sector if we really want to help buyers overcome cost barriers and access homeownership. “

The regional picture shows the best opportunities for Shared Ownership are in the North East, where all five of the most affordable Local Authorities are located. Meanwhile, the five least affordable Local Authorities are in London. In Hartlepool, the leading Local Authority for affordability (based on affordability ratio*), Shared Ownership owners would spend on average 16% of their salary on their monthly payment, compared with 74% in Kensington & Chelsea, the least affordable Local Authority.

Most affordable:

• Hartlepool – 16%
• Darlington – 17%
• County Durham – 17%
• Redcar and Cleveland – 18%
• Northumberland – 18%

Least affordable:

• Kensington & Chelsea – 74%
• Westminster – 56%
• Wandsworth – 54%
• Camden – 52%
• Hammersmith & Fulham – 51%

Roy continues, “While this data is really encouraging, the supply of new homes remains a significant challenge, with recent NHBC data showing new home starts are 17% below the ten-year average. Shared Ownership is a vital solution to the affordability gap, and therefore, to truly unlock homeownership for more people, we need to explore innovative ways to boost housing supply and ensure these much-needed options remain available.”

To receive the full Q3 Shared Ownership Factsheet for your region, contact our Group Affordable Housing Director, Roy Hind: roy.hind@connellsgroup.co.uk

*Affordability ratio – average monthly salary vs average monthly payment.