How can we speed up the house buying process?

The home buying process remains slow and uncertain for all too many. On average, it now takes around 120 days to complete a property purchase in the UK, a sharp rise since 2007, and around one in three deals still falls through. The cost of failed property transactions runs into billions each year …

Mortgage Insider returns for 2026

Welcome to the award-winning Mortgage Insider - back for 2026. Property expert and TV presenter Phil Spencer MBE will once again guide you through the trials and tribulations of the housing world.

Regulation, AI and uncertainty – the issues brokers can’t ignore

For mortgage intermediaries, few periods have felt as complex or fast-moving as they are today. Keeping track of regulations, understanding the impact of AI, and managing rising client uncertainty in the current political climate are among the biggest challenges shaping the advice process. In this…

The 2026 outlook every broker needs to know

Forecasting into 2026 is already being shaped by lingering economic uncertainty, shifting consumer trends and tighter consumer spending. With the labour market slowing, the unemployment rate edging up and the impact of AI changing early-career roles, these pressures are influencing confidence, dema…

How can brokers identify and stop mortgage fraud?

2024 saw a record number of fraud cases filed with the National Fraud Database. While mortgage fraud still represents a small proportion of overall UK fraud, there is a reported 5% increase in the number of mortgage fraud cases involving false application. In the latest instalment of the Barclays …

New build in focus

Figures from the National House-Building Council saw Q1 2025 register a 36% increase in new homes built across the UK compared with the same period last year, representing a striking development for the first-time buyer market. But with the higher cost of building, ongoing planning challenges and n…

Does the North-South divide still exist in the UK housing market?

What do the most expensive parts of the country reveal about shifting demand? And why is the Manchester housing market now outperforming many southern counterparts? In this episode of the Barclays Mortgage Insider Podcast, host Phil Spencer is joined by Lucian Cook, Head of Research at Savills, an…

Helping the credit challenged get mortgage ready

A rising number of borrowers are finding it harder to access mortgages due to being credit challenged - whether that’s from historic debts, a county court judgment, or having little to no credit history. Research indicates that 14.8 million people in the UK have experienced adverse credit at some …

Inside the world of high net worth lending

The mortgage market continues to evolve, and so too does the answer to the question: what is a high net worth individual in today’s market? In this episode of the Mortgage Insider podcast, host Phil Spencer is joined by Stephen Moroukian, Head of Product and Proposition for Real Estate Financing a…

Is 2025 the year of the remortgage?

An estimated 1.8 million fixed rate mortgage deals are due to expire in 2025, 400,000 more than in 2024. This surge in remortgaging presents a critical opportunity for mortgage brokers to offer essential advice and financial support to homeowners across the UK, ensuring they transition smoothly to …