By Clare Yates
3 min read
East Ayrshire comes out as the most affordable area, with several locations in Scotland and the North of England also offering some of the lowest prices in the country.
With getting on the property ladder still a major challenge for many first-time buyers, the latest data from Lloyds demonstrates just how much affordability varies significantly depending on where you look.
Lloyds’ research looks at average prices paid by first-time buyers across the UK and shows that some areas remain far more accessible than the national picture might suggest.
Alongside the findings, the bank is also launching a new £5,000 deposit mortgage, which is designed to help first-time buyers get on the ladder sooner by reducing the upfront savings needed. It’s available on homes worth up to £300,000, with terms of up to 40 years.
What Lloyds’ research reveals about first-time buyer affordability
East Ayrshire is the most affordable UK area for first-time buyers with an average price of £147,353. The area includes a mix of market towns, former mining communities and rural villages, with a range of homes from older character properties to newer developments. It also benefits from strong links into Scotland’s central belt, including Glasgow, making commuting a realistic option for many buyers.
Lloyds say that Inverclyde (£149,929) and Blackpool (£150,780) also rank among the cheapest places to buy across the UK. Other areas in the top 10 include Merthyr Tydfil (£156,498) and South Tyneside (£157,551).
The wider list is largely made up of areas in Scotland and the North of England, where prices remain well below the UK average.
How old are first-time buyers getting on the ladder?
The average age of a first-time buyer in the UK is now 32. That is two years older than a decade ago, although it has stayed the same over the past year.
However, in some parts of the country, buyers are getting on the ladder much earlier. In the ten areas with the youngest first-time buyers, the average age falls as low as 27.
Ribble Valley has the youngest average first-time buyer age at 27, followed by South Staffordshire at 27.8 and Pendle at 27.9. Other areas in the top ten include Rutland, Cannock Chase, North Norfolk, Staffordshire Moorlands, Chorley, Mid Suffolk and Westmorland and Furness.
Source:
First-time buyer research: The UK’s most affordable locations for first time buyers – and where Gen Z are getting on the ladder. Lloyds. Accessed 29 May 2026.
