Bank of mum and dad predicted to be behind 27% of house sales in 2018

The bank of mum and dad will be behind more than one in four house sales in 2018 but there are signs parents are increasingly feeling the pinch, according to projections.

Some 27% of buyers will receive help from friends or family, up from 25% in 2017, according to forecasts from Legal and General and economics consultancy Cebr (Centre for Economics and Business Research).

Across the UK, the report predicts that cash sums stumped up by parents will make the bank of mum and dad the equivalent of a £5.7 billion mortgage lender in 2018.

It said the value of bank of mum and dad-supported property purchases in 2018 will rise to £81.7 billion - a 5% increase since 2016.

This year, the bank of mum and dad will help 316,600 loved ones buy a home - up from 298,300 in 2017, according to the predictions.

But while the bank of mum and dad remains a major lender, parents are providing smaller sums typically, the report said.

The average contribution will decline from £21,600 in 2017 to £18,000 in 2018, according to the predictions, while total lending has reduced from £6.5 billion in 2017.

The research involved surveys and analysis of existing figures, including HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) house sales reports.

Nigel Wilson, group chief executive at Legal and General, said: "The bank of mum and dad remains a prime mover in the UK housing market, and will lend the best part of £6 billion to buyers this year, with over 315,000 transactions being underpinned by parental help.

"However, it's clear that households are feeling the pinch, as (bank of mum and dad) contributions have reduced by an average of 17% from nearly £22,000 to a still very generous £18,000."

Here is the estimated average value of bank of mum and dad contributions to home buyers in England and Scotland in 2018 according to Legal and General/Cebr (figures for Wales and Northern Ireland were not available):

- North East, £12,000
- North West, £12,900
- Yorkshire and the Humber, £16,900
- East Midlands, £17,300
- West Midlands, £14,700
- East of England, £17,900
- London, £30,600
- South East, £21,700
- South West, £19,300
- Scotland, £10,800