CBRE has released new research examining recent trends in Shared Ownership, highlighting how buyers are taking fewer but larger steps towards full home ownership.
The report notes that policy changes introduced in 2021 reduced the minimum initial share from 25% to 10%, yet shared owners are now staircasing — increasing their ownership share — in larger increments.
CBRE found that affordability continues to be the key driver of Shared Ownership uptake. In London and the South East, where house price-to-earnings ratios are highest, Shared Ownership homes account for around 10% of social housing stock and 2% of total housing. In contrast, in the North East, where homes are more affordable, Shared Ownership represents just 2% of social housing and 0.4% of total stock.
Across all regions, average monthly payments for Shared Ownership homes remain lower than both private rents and mortgage payments for full ownership.
The average rate of staircasing to full ownership has fallen over the past five years to 2.2% of total Shared Ownership stock. However, the average share purchased during staircasing events has risen from 34% in 2022 to 43% in 2025, with the average value of the additional share up by around £15,000.
CBRE attributes this to higher household savings during a period of elevated inflation and interest rates, which has enabled shared owners to accumulate more funds before increasing their equity stake.
Alex Cakkos, senior director, CBRE Affordable Valuation and Advisory Services, said: “The staircasing landscape has changed, this latest fall is in line with higher interest rates impacting mortgages and lower HPI rates over the last three years. Looking forward, as mortgage rates continue to soften, we are optimistic over future staircasing uptake.”
Paul Hawkey, senior director, CBRE Residential Capital Markets, added: “Shared Ownership is entering a new phase where policy clarity, stronger consumer protections, and £39bn of Social Affordable Housing Programme funding, are converging to scale delivery and boost confidence. As inflation gradually cools and staircasing becomes more accessible, we expect renewed demand and deeper investor engagement, with Shared Ownership poised to play a pivotal role in delivering the next generation of affordable housing.”
