Essentially Mortgages – Quarter Two 2018

Under its Help to Buy scheme, the government provides equity loans to first-time buyers and second-steppers of up to 20% of the purchase price of a new-build property of up to £600,000. A London-only version of the scheme provides 40% equity loans.

Protection policies are one of the most important financial products anyone can take out, and one of the best ways of ensuring your family is provided for financially, if one of life’s unexpected and unwelcome events should happen. Whilst policies can’t lessen the emotional impact of these events, they provide welcome cash to lessen the financial burden.

Since 2010, retired owners have seen their property wealth increase by 41%1. This equates to £68,500 per homeowner over 65.

In simple terms, life insurance is a legal contract between an insurance policyholder and an insurance company. The insurer promises to pay a named beneficiary a sum of money on the death of the insured person, in return for a (usually monthly) payment called the premium.

After many years of rising prices, the UK housing market is showing signs of a slowdown.

This type of protection policy is designed to cover the cost of your mortgage payments if you’re sick, have an accident or become unemployed and can’t work. Whether you have a repayment or an interest-only mortgage, it’s important to have plans in place to protect the balance of your mortgage – after all, you’d want to safeguard your loved ones by keeping a roof over their heads.