Your First Home scheme boosts first-time buyer optimism

November 4, 2026 by Brendan O'Neill

Home owners

The Your First Home initiative has boosted optimism levels among first-time buyers, a new survey has shown.

This survey is by Barratt Home and it compares the view among first-time buyers before and after the scheme was announced. Before it, 35% of those who do not own a home said they had abandoned hope of doing so. However, after the announcement, 73% of those who are not homeowners stated they had more belief that it would be possible.

A further 74% told the survey they were now keen to explore their options for buying. This adds up to nearly three-quarters of first-time buyers. Meanwhile, 69% said the existence of Your First Home meant buying was something that was within closer reach. 72% of the people that Barratt Home spoke to said they were considering applying for it.

All this enthusiasm was tempered by a desire among first-time buyers to know more about Your First Home before committing. 31% of survey respondents said that they would need clarification about repayment costs. Another 20% wanted more information about exactly how it works, while 17% wanted to know if any other loans would be needed.

Craig Carson is the regional managing director for Barratt London. He spoke to Mortgage Strategy:

“The introduction of the new Your First Home scheme offers a welcome glimmer of hope for aspiring first-time buyers, and it’s encouraging to see greater optimism around homeownership.”

A mortgage advisor with the CeMAP qualification could fill in many of the knowledge gaps for these buyers.