Compare Mortgage Rates from Halifax Against the Market starting at 4.06%

About Halifax Mortgages

Halifax is among the UK's leading mortgage providers. A division of Lloyds Banking Group, Halifax was founded in 1853 as a building society before becoming the UK's largest by 1913. Halifax offers a range of mortgages for first-time buyers, homemovers, landlords and later life borrowers. Halifax offers relatively high loan-to-value (LTV) deals and mortgages through government schemes, including the Mortgage Guarantee Scheme and Shared Ownership. 

You can use our free mortgage-sourcing tool below to compare the latest mortgage rates from Halifax against the rest of the market for free:

Types of mortgage available

Halifax's mortgage products are split into the following broad categories:

• First-time buyer mortgages
• Homemover mortgages
• Remortgages
• Buy-to-let mortgages
• Equity release and retirement mortgages

Halifax's residential mortgage range is dominated by fixed-rate deals with 2, 5 and 10-year introductory rates periods. They also offer 2-year tracker rate mortgages as an alternative.

The lender offers exclusive deals for some demographics, including existing customers and those buying 'green' or eco-friendly homes.

Halifax first-time buyer mortgages and deposits

The Halifax is a bank that offers residential mortgages to first-time buyers with low deposits. The acceptance of the application will depend on the amount of deposit they have, but it needs to be at least 5% of the property's value. If you are able to afford more than 5%, you can often get reduced initial interest rates. The maximum loan to value (LTV) for a Halifax mortgage is 95% of the property value. This will be based on the value of the property you're looking to buy.

Halifax' Family Boost mortgage, which allows a family member to deposit 10% of the property value into a 3-year fixed Halifax savings account as security, enabling low-deposit or zero-deposit purchases, may also be helpful to first-time buyers.

What mortgage rates are they currently offering?

Halifax mortgage rates are generally competitve with other high street mortgage lenders, and often lower than specialist mortgage providers'.

The exact rate you end up with will depend on the amount of deposit you have, the overall strength of your application and the type of product you choose.

Halifax buy-to-let mortgage criteria

The criteria for a buy-to-let mortgage with Halifax is as follows:

• Deposit requirements: You will need a mortgage deposit of at least 30% of the property value
• Portfolio size: Portfolio landlords cannot own more than 10 rental properties, including any they hold with Halifax
• First-time buyers: Will need to be buying the propertly with at least one other person who already owns a property
• Age: Must be aged over 21 and be no older than 80 during the mortgage term 
• Property: Cannot be divided into multiple units, must be valued over £50,000 and has a minimum EPC rating of 'E' or above (unless exempt)
• Rental income: Must cover the annual mortgage repayments by at least 125%

Can you get a Halifax mortgage with bad credit?

Yes. Halifax offer bad credit mortgages to borrowers with specific types of adverse, such as defaults and missed payments. However, Halifax uses automated credit scoring with a low tolerance for adverse credit, so defaults and CCJs within 36 months, or active IVAs/bankruptcies usually result in automatic declines.

Very severe credit problems such as bankruptcies and debt managment plans (DMPs) need to have been settled for at least six years before Halifax will consider lending.

How much will Halifax let you borrow?

Halifax will let you borrow between 4.49 and 5.5 times your annual salary. The exact income multiple they use will depend on your income, the LTV ratio and the mortgage amount, among other factors. Halifax's First Time Buyer Boost scheme, allows qualifying first-time buyers earning a combined household income of £50,000+ to borrow up to 5.5x income (up to 90% LTV). Standard lending caps atpply to those with income below this threshold (4.49x–4.75x income).

New build restrictions

New build houses are accepted up to 95% LTV, but new build flats and coach houses are capped at 85% LTV, and converted properties are capped at 80% LTV. Builder incentives are accepted up to 5% without reducing the property valuation.

Does Halifax offer self-employed mortgages?

Yes, and they are more flexible than some lenders with their requirements for self-employed borrowers. Most mortgage providers expect self-employed mortgage applicants to have at least two years' accounts, but Halifax will consider approving you with just a year's worth. They based their affordability assessment on the latest trading year and can even consider self-employed borrowers with declining profits, with conditions attached.

Contractor Day-Rate Calculation

Halifax's contractor policy uses daily rate calculations (gross daily rate × 5 days × 46 weeks) for applicants with a minimum 6-month contracting history (or 2 years' industry experience), and require as little as 1 day remaining on the current contract.

Later-life lending options

Halifax offer standard residential mortgages to older borrowers, but the maximum age they can be at the end of the term is 80, or 75 if it's an interest-only mortgage. They do not offer retirement interest-only (RIO) mortgages but can arrange equity release (lifetime mortgages) for eligible homeowners via Scottish Widows, a division of their parent company, Lloyds Bank plc. 

Is Halifax a good mortgage lender?

Halifax (part of Lloyds Banking Group) stands as the UK’s largest mortgage lender and enjoys strong customer and broker ratings due to its processing speed, consistent underwriting, and flexible income treatment:

• What Borrowers Praise: Applicants consistently highlight Halifax’s rapid application-to-offer turnaround times, with decisions and valuation sign-offs frequently completed within days. First-time buyers and movers value their generous borrowing limits—including the First-Time Buyer Boost offering up to 5.5x income for applicants earning £50,000+ up to 90% LTV. Brokers praise Halifax for its accommodating stance on variable pay (using 100% of regular overtime, commission, and bonuses), contractor day-rate calculations, and a seamless internal product transfer process for existing customers that requires no re-assessment of income.

• Common Grievances: Criticisms primarily revolve around strict automated credit scoring and property automated valuation models (AVMs), which can lead to sudden downvaluations or immediate declines for applicants with minor credit blips. Limited company directors note that Halifax evaluates salary and dividend drawings rather than retained business profits, which can restrict borrowing compared to specialist commercial lenders. Additionally, borrowers report elevated wait times on phone lines during volatile market rate changes.

Pros and cons

The table below shows the advantages and disadvantages of Halifax as a mortgage lender to help you decide whether they are right for you:

Broker opinion

How to compare Halifax mortgage deals

The best way to compare Halifax's products is through a whole-of-market mortgage broker. They can provide you an overview of every Halifax mortgage product that you qualify for along with a comparison of equivalent deals from across the market.

There are brokers on our team who have a working relationship with Halifax. They know their product range well and can compare them with every competitor across the market on your behalf to help you decide whether they are the perfect fit for you.

Here are just some of the reasons you should use us for your mortgage comparison needs:

• Our mortgage brokers are whole-of-market
• They often have access to exclusive rates and deals
• We are 5-star rated on leading review websites
• Your first consultation is FREE

Ready to see how Halifax's latest rates compare to deals from across the and speak to one of our brokers about their products? Get started here.