This International Women’s Day, we shine a spotlight on the role mortgage brokers and lenders play in helping female first-time buyers navigate the UK housing market.
In an exclusive Q&A, Sarah Brown, Senior Strategy Manager at Coventry Building Society, explains how both brokers and lenders can ensure processes remain accessible and inclusive, particularly for those with non-traditional income patterns, and shares practical steps brokers can take to support women taking their first step onto the property ladder.
Q: To what extent is the UK mortgage market still built around a dual-income or male-primary-earner model, and how does that shape outcomes for female first-time buyers?
SB: “The mortgage market has evolved over the past decade. Lenders are much more focused on individual affordability and responsible lending, rather than household stereotypes. However, wider economic and structural factors can still influence outcomes for female first-time buyers. For example, the gender pay gap, career breaks and part-time working patterns can affect borrowing capacity, particularly for single applicants.
For many first-time buyers, buying alone is becoming more common, and lenders are adjusting their offerings in response. There is now a range of support available, whether through flexible affordability, longer mortgage terms, or products designed to help borrowers with smaller deposits.
As a mutual, we’re particularly conscious of the need to ensure homeownership remains accessible to a wide range of buyers, including women purchasing independently.”
Q: Beyond lending criteria, do processes, broker behaviours, or the design of the mortgage journey unintentionally create barriers for independent female borrowers?
SB: “The mortgage application process has traditionally been built around standard employment patterns, which don’t always reflect how people earn and manage their finances in the modern day.
Working patterns are evolving. More people are moving between employment types, taking career breaks, or earning income from multiple sources. In these circumstances, demonstrating income for a mortgage application can be more complicated.
While the traditional mortgage process’s rigidity can affect many borrowers, women can face additional challenges, given that they are statistically more likely to take career breaks or periods of parental leave.
To accommodate non-traditional working patterns and customers who have sometimes been overlooked by the conventional mortgage application process, lenders will need processes that can adapt to different income journeys, all while staying in line with responsible lending practices.
Brokers and lenders, therefore, play an important role in helping customers navigate these situations, ensuring the process remains accessible and understandable. This is particularly true for first-time buyers, who may be learning about the UK housing market for the first time.”
Q: What single, practical change could lenders make this year to better support female first-time buyers whilst still practicing responsible lending?
SB: “In terms of practical steps, lenders should ensure customers with more complex income patterns are assessed in a way that reflects their real financial position, rather than relying on standard income assumptions. Borrowers returning from maternity leave, working part-time or with multiple income sources can find it harder to demonstrate affordability, even when their underlying financial position is strong.
At Coventry Building Society, our experienced underwriting team will assess more complex cases within our responsible lending framework. Even in cases where income patterns are less straightforward, the full financial picture can still be considered, helping customers better understand what options may be available to them.
We also recognise the value of access to knowledgeable teams. Employing expert advisers who understand the nuances of different income situations can help customers, and especially first-time buyers, navigate the mortgage process with greater confidence.”
