The Doorstep Divide 2026 report

Is the door to owning a home more open than you think?

Download the full report

One In Eight People In The UK Have Decided Not To Apply For A Mortgage Because They Assume They'd Be Turned Down

Our research into who the mortgage market leaves on the doorstep

Owning a home is still the dream for most people. But how you earn, what’s on your credit file, or something that’s happened in your life can make getting a mortgage feel much harder than it should.

So we set out to measure it. The Doorstep Divide is our new yearly report on how open the UK mortgage market really is for people whose lives don’t follow a set pattern. It’s built on a nationally representative survey of 2,081 UK adults, a survey of 500 mortgage brokers, and real stories from people who’ve lived it.

What we found is simple. Often, the problem isn’t whether you can afford a mortgage. It’s whether the system can understand you.

Key findings from The Doorstep Divide 2026 report

46%

46% of UK adults aren’t confident they could apply for a mortgage based on their circumstances today.

33%

More than one in three UK adults say a big life event, like divorce, illness or a career break, has affected their access to a mortgage.

66%

66% say people with variable or irregular incomes, like the self-employed or freelancers, find it harder to get a mortgage.

25%

More than a quarter of UK adults have delayed, paused or decided against applying for a mortgage because of how they earn.

57%

57% say their generation found, or will find, buying a home harder than their parents’ generation did.

32%

Only 32% of UK adults feel well informed about how to get a mortgage.

Consumer research by Censuswide: a nationally representative survey of 2,081 UK adults (fieldwork 4 to 11 September 2026) and 2,003 UK adults (March 2026). Figures are from the September survey unless stated. Broker research by Censuswide: a survey of 500 UK mortgage brokers (fieldwork 2 to 9 March 2026). Censuswide is a member of the Market Research Society.

Does this sound like you?

Most people who find getting a mortgage hard fit into one or more of these four groups. Plenty of people sit in more than one. None of them mean you can’t get a mortgage.

Your income isn’t one neat payslip

You’re self-employed, a contractor or freelancer, or you have more than one job. Your money is real. It just doesn’t arrive in the same amount every month.

Your credit file is thin, not bad

You’ve never really used credit, you’re early in your financial life, or you’ve lived abroad. Around five million people in the UK are in the same position.

Life knocked you off course

A divorce, illness, bereavement, career break or a time when money was tight left a mark on your credit ile. You’ve got back on your feet since.

You’re new to the UK, or coming home

You’ve moved here to live and work, or you’re back after time abroad. Your financial history sits in another country, so UK systems can’t see it.

Having no credit history is the same as having bad credit

How much I can borrow depends only on my salary

A past credit problem will count against me forever

I’m self-employed, so I won’t get a mortgage

We asked people why they doubt a lender would judge their situation fairly

Single parent, survey respondent

“I don’t look good on paper. I have been a single parent for 18 years, I have always worked and completed two degrees in that time, and only now am I in a position to buy a home.”

Sole trader, survey respondent

“I’m a sole trader, and I don’t always get paid every month because of the nature of my business, so my income is not steady.”

Divorced, survey respondent

“I had a perfect credit score, then lost everything due to an ex-partner. Now my credit file is shocking. But no one takes those circumstances into account.”

Single parent, survey respondent

“My income has been unconventional for 30 years, and while my credit score is excellent, my credit history is short.”

Divorced, survey respondent

“Sometimes people have a period of difficulty, but by the time of the application their circumstances have changed for the better. Assessment should focus on the current situation.”

Overcoming complexity to help a family secure their son’s future

Oliver Scott and his partner Louise were determined to find a home that could support the long-term needs of their autistic son, Edward. When they unexpectedly had an offer accepted on their ideal property, they faced a series of significant mortgage and funding challenges, including raising a deposit and navigating complex lending requirements. Working closely with mortgage broker Julia Barrow and Nottingham Building Society's Avril Dugdale, the family explored multiple solutions to make the purchase possible.

Read the full article

Read the full article

Adrian: 25 years of rent, still invisible

Adrian, 59, has been self-employed for most of his working life, teaching samba drumming in schools and running a team-building business. His income is steady, but it comes in waves. With a thin credit file, he gave up on buying early on.

“It felt easier to stop trying than to keep putting myself through another knock-back.”

Katherine: told yes online, no in person

Katherine is a freelance singer, actor and model from Salford. An online
calculator said she could afford to apply. But when she took her payslips in, she was turned away because her income goes up and down.

“I just want the full picture to be considered, including the different ways people earn.”

The divide doesn’t stop once you’ve got the keys

50%

50% of UK adults worry about remortgaging or switching deals if their circumstances change.

73%

of self-employed and variableincome homeowners share that worry (March 2026).

18%

Only 18% could correctly say what a product transfer is (March 2026).

Life keeps changing after you buy. You might go self-employed, take a career break or go through a big change at home. That can make it feel harder to get a new deal when your current one ends.

Product transfer or remortgage? A quick guide

A product transfer is when you move to a new deal with the lender you already have. Remortgaging usually means moving your mortgage to a different lender.

If your circumstances have changed, speak to a mortgage adviser at Mortgage Advice Bureau a few months before your deal ends. That gives you time to see all your options.

“It’s time the market changed shape to fit people.” Sue Hayes - CEO

“The mortgage market has spent too long asking people to fit its shape. It is time the market changed shape to fit people. The door should be open to everyone who can walk through it. Let us build a market that opens it, and let us start now.”

How we’re helping more people through the door

So far, we’ve helped thousands of people whose circumstances other lenders found hard to read. Our underwriters look at the whole story, not just what a computer says. Here’s how we could help you.

Life Happens mortgages

Had a credit problem because life changed? If you’ve been through something like a divorce, illness or a drop in income, and you’re back on track, we’ll look at where you are now, not just where you’ve been.

Make it Possible mortgages

Need a bit more room to get the home you want? Make it Possible gives you more flexibility in how your borrowing is worked out. That could mean a longer mortgage term, or more of your variable income being counted.

Worldwide Welcome mortgages

New to the UK, or coming home after time abroad? We can look at credit history from a number of other countries. And there’s no minimum time you need to have lived here, as long as you have a clear route to residency.

Don’t rule yourself out

One in eight people never apply because they assume the answer will be no. Find out for sure before you decide.

Check your credit file - You can check it for free with the main credit reference agencies. Make sure everything on it is right.
Gather your paperwork - If your income changes from month to month, pull together bank statements, tax returns or accounts. They help show the full picture.
Speak to a mortgage adviser - We only offer our mortgages through brokers. A mortgage adviser at Mortgage Advice Bureau looks across the whole market, including our mortgages, to find one that suits you.

Download The Doorstep Divide 2026 report

Read the full report to see what we found, and what we think needs to change.

Download the report

Frequently asked questions

The Doorstep Divide is Nottingham Building Society’s research into how open the UK mortgage market is for people whose lives don’t follow a set pattern. That includes people who are self-employed, have a thin credit file, have been through a big life event or are new to the UK. The 2026 report is based on a nationally representative survey of 2,081 UK adults and a survey of 500 mortgage brokers.

Yes. Lots of self-employed people get mortgages. You’ll usually need to show your income through things like tax returns or company accounts, rather than payslips. Different lenders ask for different things, so a mortgage adviser at Mortgage Advice Bureau can help you find the right fit for how you earn.

No. Having little or no credit history isn’t the same as having bad credit, even though 51% of UK adults think it is. A thin file just means there’s less information about you. Many lenders can still consider you, although some may be more cautious if you have a smaller deposit.

You may be able to. If you had money problems because something in your life changed, and you’ve since got back on track, some lenders will look at your situation in context. Our Life Happens mortgages are designed for people in exactly this position.

Many lenders want you to have lived here for one to three years first. With our Worldwide Welcome mortgages, there’s no minimum time you need to have lived in the UK, as long as you have a clear route to residency. We can also look at credit history from a number of other countries.

No. We don’t offer mortgages directly to customers. Our mortgages are only available through mortgage brokers. To talk through your options, speak to a mortgage adviser at Mortgage Advice Bureau. They look at mortgages from across the whole market, including ours, and can apply on your behalf.