The base of the first time buyer sits at the core of the strength of the next decade within the UK housing market. Being able to reach the first rung on the ladder means moving typically from the house of mum and dad to a flat of their own. Many times this cannot be done without some financial assistance from friends and family, and today it is even more difficult. House price growth in the past decade has been extreme and many have been priced out of the market. There are however, areas which are still affordable for first timers.

London is an area which is not favourable for first timers. The top areas which are more agreeable start with Copeland in Cumbria. According to research from Halifax, the average cost of a home there is less than three times the local average yearly gross income at £120,088.

Other than Copeland, eight of the top ten areas on the list are located in Scotland. Every area on the list which is most unaffordable for first time buyers is located in the city of London.

Not only are first timers finding it difficult to find areas which are affordable, they are also required to put down more on a property initially through a deposit. In fact, the amount required for deposit has doubled in the last decade. In the year 2007, the requirement was £17,740. Today, the average deposit amount for first time buyers has ballooned to £33,339.

First time buyers face an uphill challenge when looking for a property to call their own. Programmes designed to assist those in need help, but the group still faces numerous issues to becoming new owners.