2025 has been a year of cautious optimism. After several turbulent years of rate hikes, economic uncertainty and affordability pressures, borrowers finally started to feel a little relief as inflation eased and the Bank of England cut base rates twice.

While mortgage rates are still higher than the pre-pandemic years, competition has returned, product choice has widened, and lenders have been finding creative ways to support borrowers, from flexible affordability criteria and green lending incentives, to improved digital journeys that make applying for a mortgage simpler than ever.

First-time buyers remain at the heart of the market, but they’re also facing some of the biggest challenges: high house prices, slow wage growth, and the need for ever-larger deposits. Against this backdrop, innovation and responsible lending have never mattered more.

The Your Mortgage Awards have now been celebrating the very best in the mortgage and home finance industry for 36 years — since their launch back in 1989, another era of economic change, when the first fixed-rate mortgages were still a novelty and the UK housing market looked very different.

Fast-forward three and a half decades and the mortgage landscape has evolved beyond recognition. From buy-to-let landlords (a market that barely existed in 1989) to later-life borrowers and eco-conscious homeowners, lenders have continued to adapt to shifting demographics and consumer needs.

Throughout those years, one thing has remained constant, the industry’s determination to help customers achieve the dream of homeownership and financial security, no matter what the economy throws its way.

This year’s winners exemplify that spirit — showing resilience, innovation, and customer-first thinking across every corner of the market. From the biggest banks to the most agile building societies, each winner has stood out for their contribution to better products, service, and outcomes for UK borrowers.

Best Intermediary Mortgage Lender – Halifax
Best First-Time Buyer Mortgage Lender – Nationwide
Best New-Build Mortgage Lender – Skipton Building Society
Best Shared Ownership Mortgage Lender – Leeds Building Society
Best Remortgage Lender – NatWest
Best Offset Mortgage Lender – Coventry Building Society
Best Large Loan Mortgage Lender – Barclays
Best Self-Employed Mortgage Lender – Accord Mortgages
Best Buy-to-Let Mortgage Lender – The Mortgage Works
Best Professional Buy-to-Let Mortgage Lender – Paragon Bank
Best Credit Repair Mortgage Lender – Pepper Money
Best Product Transfer Provider – NatWest
Best Second Charge Mortgage Lender – Pepper Money
Best Later Life Mortgage Lender – Aviva
Best Specialist Mortgage Lender – Aldermore
Best Green Mortgage Lender – HSBC UK
Best Life Insurance Provider – Aviva
Best General Insurance Provider – LV=
Best Surveyor – Countrywide Surveying Services
Best Online Mortgage Lender – Santander
Best Lender for Service – Halifax
Best Building Society – Leeds Building Society
Best Bank – NatWest
Best Overall Mortgage Lender – Halifax