Number of UK first-time buyers in 2023 was lowest in a decade

Figure estimated to be down by a fifth, as rising interest rates and high house prices had impact

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The number of first-time buyers who bought a home with a mortgage fell to its lowest level in a decade in 2023, according to a leading lender.

The figures, from Yorkshire Building Society, are the latest evidence that housing affordability has been stretched to the limit by rising mortgage interest rates and high house prices.