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Government unveils sweeping homebuying reforms to cut delays and reduce failed sales


By Goran Nastic

The Government has announced plans to overhaul the homebuying process in England and Wales, introducing measures aimed at making transactions faster, cheaper and more reliable for buyers and sellers.

Under the proposals, sellers and estate agents will be required to provide key property information upfront through new digital sales packs, including details on a home’s condition, leasehold costs and chain status


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Frozen tax thresholds push HMRC income tax and NICs receipts higher in May

HMRC collected £153.7bn in tax and National Insurance contributions (NICs) between April and May 2026, up £9.8bn year-on-year, driven largely by stronger income tax and NIC receipts

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IHT receipts continue to rise in May

Inheritance tax (IHT) receipts totalled £730m in May, up from £701m recorded in the same period last year, HMRC has revealed

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Bank of England base rate held at 3.75%

The Bank of England (BoE) has announced that interest rates will be held at 3.75%, the lowest bank base rate (BBR) since February 2023.

The central bank's latest decision, which had been widely anticipated by economists, comes after inflation remained unchanged at 2.8% in May

FTB appetite holds firm despite economic pressures – Twenty7tec

First-time buyer (FTB) demand has remained "remarkably resilient" in 2026, Twenty7tec has stated, despite ongoing affordability pressures and economic uncertainty

Pure Retirement

Inspired Lending joins FIBA

Inspired Lending has become the latest firm to join the Financial Intermediary & Broker Association (FIBA) as part of its focus on maintaining close dialogue with brokers
London home movers report lowest stress levels, OPDA research finds

Londoners report the least stressful home moving experience in the UK, according to new research from the Open Property Data Association (OPDA), released alongside its Future of Homebuying Report 2026

Pure Retirement

AI could reshape retirement planning but raises new risks - Aon

Artificial intelligence (AI) is set to play a growing role in how people plan for retirement, but new research from Aon argues it should complement rather than replace human advice

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Frozen tax thresholds push HMRC income tax and NICs receipts higher in May

HMRC collected £153.7bn in tax and National Insurance contributions (NICs) between April and May 2026, up £9.8bn year-on-year, driven largely by stronger income tax and NIC receipts

IHT receipts continue to rise in May

Inheritance tax (IHT) receipts totalled £730m in May, up from £701m recorded in the same period last year, HMRC has revealed

Chancellor launches consultation to reduce tax burden on wealthy US expats

Chancellor Rachel Reeves has launched a consultation into easing the tax burden faced by wealthy US investors looking to relocate to the UK

Number of savers hit with £5k+ tax bill almost triples in 2025/26

The number of individuals who have more than a £5,000 tax liability on savings income has almost tripled from 52,700 in the 2022/23 financial year to 137,000 in the 2025/26 financial year, Paragon Bank has found

FCA seeks injunction against Neil Woodford for ‘operating without authorisation’

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has started civil proceedings against Neil Woodford and his latest venture W4.0 for “operating without authorisation”

FCA considers loosening number of mortgage market restraints

The FCA is consulting on making it easier for first-time buyers (FTBs), older borrowers and the self-employed to get a mortgage. The regulator will explore how to help lenders offer flexible repayments for people with variable incomes such as the self-employed

Firms must do more to protect consumers and prevent sanctions breaches – FCA

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has called on regulated firms to raise consumer protection standards when approving financial promotions, and do more to prevent sanctions breaches

Adviser opinion split on FCA’s proposed advice changes

Financial advisers are divided on whether the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) proposed changes to pensions and investment advice rules will help them service new clients, a study from AJ Bell has shown

Bank of England base rate held at 3.75%

The Bank of England (BoE) has announced that interest rates will be held at 3.75%, the lowest bank base rate (BBR) since February 2023. The central bank's latest decision, which had been widely anticipated by economists, comes after inflation remained unchanged at 2.8% in May

Average high street easy access savings account rate falls below 1% - Spring

The average interest rate on a true high street easy access savings account has fallen below 1%, Spring has revealed

Savings product choice hits new record

The number of savings products available on the market has risen to 2,540 deals, according to data from Moneyfacts

Bridging lending remains consistent in Q1

Purchasing an investment asset remained the most popular use of bridging finance in Q1, accounting for 22% of all transactions, according to the latest Bridging Trends data. The latest figure was unchanged from Q4 2025, although the impact from the conflict in the Middle East won’t be fully clear until Q2

Pension inheritance changes could trigger ‘double tax’ and tighter deadlines for families

Families inheriting pensions could face significantly higher tax bills and greater administrative pressure under new Government rules that will bring unspent pension funds into the scope of inheritance tax (IHT) from April 2027, argues wealth manager Saltus. The changes mean some beneficiaries could face both IHT and income tax on inherited pension assets, increasing complexity around estate planning and pension wealth transfers

Workers lack pension confidence despite employers’ efforts to educate

Over a third of employees (39%) do not feel confident they are making the right decisions about their pensions, despite almost all employers believing their workers understand and value their workplace pensions, according to research from Cushon

Over four in five consumers turn to unregulated sources for pension guidance

Over four in five (83%) consumers are turning to unregulated sources such as AI tools, social media platforms and online influencers for financial guidance, raising concerns about the quality of information being used to inform long-term retirement decisions, research from Zable has revealed

M&G to add PruFund range to Scottish Widows Platform

M&G has agreed to make its PruFund range available on the Scottish Widows Platform, marking its first third-party platform launch

Half of Brits believe cash savings are less risky than investing

Over half (52%) of UK adults believe that cash savings are less risky than investing, Alliance Witan has found

Inflation holds at 2.8% in May

Annual consumer price index (CPI) inflation growth was unchanged between April and May, remaining at 2.8%, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has revealed

GDP contracts by 0.1% in April – ONS

UK gross domestic product (GDP) fell by 0.1% month-on-month in April for the first time since August 2025, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has revealed

Fixed bonds lead market surge in savings rates – Investec Save

Savers are witnessing increased competition for their savings as rates increase the market, with fixed rates bonds leading the way, Investec Save has found

AI could reshape retirement planning but raises new risks - Aon

Artificial intelligence (AI) is set to play a growing role in how people plan for retirement, but new research from Aon argues it should complement rather than replace human advice

Rosemount Financial Solutions (IFA) launches new AI-powered tool

Rosemount Financial Solutions (IFA) has announced the launch of ProCeding, its new AI-powered tool designed to simplify dealing with ceding scheme providers

Firms collaborate to drive modernisation in homebuying process

Proptech firms and software developers across the homebuying sector have collaborated in a series of hackathons designed to test how property data can be shared across the home-moving process

AI to ‘reshape’ advice firms without replacing advisers

Artificial intelligence (AI) will reshape financial advice but will not replace advisers, according to a report from Hoxton Wealth

Inspired Lending joins FIBA

Inspired Lending has become the latest firm to join the Financial Intermediary & Broker Association (FIBA) as part of its focus on maintaining close dialogue with brokers

News in brief - 19 June 2026

Today's round up of developments coming out of the consumer finance space, featuring Dudley Building Society, Zephyr Homeloans, Atom bank and Gatehouse Bank

News in brief - 18 June 2026

Today's round up of developments coming out of the consumer finance space, featuring Landbay, BuildLoan, Molo, Together and Keystone Property Finance

News in brief - 17 June 2026

Today's round up of developments coming out of the consumer finance space, featuring Fleet Mortgages, Harpenden Building Society, Project Surveyors, Together and Chetwood Bank

BLOG: Royal London Equity Release: How high-net-worth individuals could benefit from releasing equity with the exclusive Premier product offering

In February 2026, we were recognised at the MoneyAge Mortgage Awards, taking home the title of ‘Later Life Lender of the Year’, with judges highlighting our rapid distribution growth, extensive adviser engagement and meaningful product enhancements. As an equity release provider, our approach is rooted in a holistic view of retirement, aiming to provide good customer outcomes with backing from the UK’s largest mutual life, pensions and investment company* – but what can we offer you and your clients?

BLOG: Are added-value services the key to engaging clients in protection?

Scottish Widows Protection Director, Rose St Louis, discusses how reframing protection conversations can help to engage clients

BLOG: Award-winning lending, built brick by brick

Saffron for Intermediaries discusses its latest lending offering on the MoneyAge blog

BLOG: Doing Good is Good Business

MoneyAge Awards winner Bespoke Advice discusses the key fundamentals of good financial planning in our latest blog piece

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Later Life Lending: It’s more than just equity release or retirement interest only (RIO)

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