Building the future
Our north star (or our purpose)
We’ve been helping people save and get on the housing ladder for a long time (since 1875 to be exact). But in all those years, home ownership was never as unaffordable, inaccessible, and unavailable as it is now. It’s no surprise that home ownership has fallen by a third among 25 to 35 year olds1.
We’re on a mission to change this.
1Source: English Housing Survey, ‘2021-2022: headline report’, December 2022.
Rating for Leeds Building Society
We have your back
We’re putting home ownership within reach of more people, because every generation deserves to own a home. To give first time buyers a leg up onto the housing ladder, we’ve created mortgages and savings accounts with you in mind.
Our Home Deposit Saver could reward you with a £500 bonus (terms and conditions apply*) if you save towards a mortgage with us. Plus, we have 95% LTV mortgages for those struggling to pull a larger deposit together. Also make sure to check out our Shared Ownership range – they’re award winning for a reason.
Maybe you’ve been told you can’t afford a mortgage, but you’re already keeping up with regular payments for council tax and streaming services. We’re also working with Experian to use those payments to potentially boost your credit score and help you meet affordability criteria.
*To get the £500 bonus you'll need to get an offer from us for a residential mortgage, have a minimum of £2,500 in your account and have had the account open for over six months but less than five years.
Already own a home?
We know how hard you worked to own your home. Staying on the housing ladder can be tricky right now, but we’re here to help. And that’s not just something we say. Our mortgages are designed to support your next steps, so make sure to explore our range and find the right product for you.
If you’re ever worried about making your next payment, we already have ideas that could make your mortgage more affordable. All you need to do is reach out.
Savings that make a difference
We understand your savings need to work hard for you. That's why we've consistently paid above market average*, so you can earn more interest. Whether you're saving towards home ownership, your family's future or something else, we could help you reach your goals. But we're also a mutual, meaning your savings can open more doors and help others get on the housing ladder too.
*Source: CACI’s CSDB, Stock, January to December 2022, latest data available. CACI is an independent company that provides financial benchmarking data for the retail cash savings market.
Playing our part
We fulfil our purpose of putting home ownership within reach of more people, generation after generation, in a variety of ways. In 2023:
• More than half of new mortgages went to first time buyers – a record for the Society
• We donated over £1.1million to charities, causes and communities – including helping support groups who face extra barriers to home ownership
• We stopped lending on second homes and set in motion plans to cut back on holiday lets, helping give people a fairer chance of owning a home
• We invested in the development of energy-efficient homes that will save occupants money and contribute to a more sustainable future
Everyone deserves a place to call home
As well as lending mortgages to members and helping them save towards a deposit, we also want to bring about changes in the wider housing market. We want to make things easier for people and we advocate for improvements which break down the barriers to homeownership.
The changes we want
We’ve carried out a range of research into the challenges facing first time buyers and have three key changes we want to see made:
• Build more homes of all types
• Increase affordable routes into homeownership
• Support people to save for their deposit
Our latest insight explores issues related to planning consultation which can have a big impact on the number of homes which get built.
Hearing from a more representative cross section of voices earlier in the planning process – rather than those opposed to individual schemes once they are drawn up – will create a fairer system.
You can read more about it in this blog post.
Find out how we’re making change happen.
Read our Purpose Impact report
We have your back
We’re putting home ownership within reach of more people, because every generation deserves to own a home. To give first time buyers a leg up onto the housing ladder, we’ve created mortgages and savings accounts with you in mind.
Our Home Deposit Saver could reward you with a £500 bonus (terms and conditions apply*) if you save towards a mortgage with us. Plus, we have 95% LTV mortgages for those struggling to pull a larger deposit together. Also make sure to check out our Shared Ownership range – they’re award winning for a reason.
Maybe you’ve been told you can’t afford a mortgage, but you’re already keeping up with regular payments for council tax and streaming services. We’re also working with Experian to use those payments to potentially boost your credit score and help you meet affordability criteria.
*To get the £500 bonus you'll need to get an offer from us for a residential mortgage, have a minimum of £2,500 in your account and have had the account open for over six months but less than five years.
Already own a home?
We know how hard you worked to own your home. Staying on the housing ladder can be tricky right now, but we’re here to help. And that’s not just something we say. Our mortgages are designed to support your next steps, so make sure to explore our range and find the right product for you.
If you’re ever worried about making your next payment, we already have ideas that could make your mortgage more affordable. All you need to do is reach out.
Savings that make a difference
We understand your savings need to work hard for you. That's why we've consistently paid above market average*, so you can earn more interest. Whether you're saving towards home ownership, your family's future or something else, we could help you reach your goals. But we're also a mutual, meaning your savings can open more doors and help others get on the housing ladder too.
*Source: CACI’s CSDB, Stock, January to December 2022, latest data available. CACI is an independent company that provides financial benchmarking data for the retail cash savings market.
Playing our part
We fulfil our purpose of putting home ownership within reach of more people, generation after generation, in a variety of ways. In 2023:
• More than half of new mortgages went to first time buyers – a record for the Society
• We donated over £1.1million to charities, causes and communities – including helping support groups who face extra barriers to home ownership
• We stopped lending on second homes and set in motion plans to cut back on holiday lets, helping give people a fairer chance of owning a home
• We invested in the development of energy-efficient homes that will save occupants money and contribute to a more sustainable future
Everyone deserves a place to call home
As well as lending mortgages to members and helping them save towards a deposit, we also want to bring about changes in the wider housing market. We want to make things easier for people and we advocate for improvements which break down the barriers to homeownership.
The changes we want
We’ve carried out a range of research into the challenges facing first time buyers and have three key changes we want to see made:
• Build more homes of all types
• Increase affordable routes into homeownership
• Support people to save for their deposit
Our latest insight explores issues related to planning consultation which can have a big impact on the number of homes which get built.
Hearing from a more representative cross section of voices earlier in the planning process – rather than those opposed to individual schemes once they are drawn up – will create a fairer system.
You can read more about it in this blog post.
Find out how we’re making change happen.
Read our Purpose Impact report
