Mortgage rates surged at an unprecedented pace in 2022, with the average 10-year fixed rate doubling between March and December of that year. In response to mounting inflation, the Bank of England implemented a series of rate hikes, pushing borrowing costs steadily higher. By October 2025, the average 10-year fixed mortgage rate stood at **** percent. As financing becomes more expensive, housing demand has cooled, weighing on market sentiment and slowing house price growth. How have the mortgage hikes affected the market? After surging in 2021, the number of residential properties sold fell significantly in 2023, dipping to just above *** million transactions. This contraction in activity also dampened mortgage lending. Between the first quarter of 2023 and the first quarter of 2024, the value of new mortgage loans declined year-on-year for five consecutive quarters. Even as rates eased modestly in 2024 and housing activity picked up slightly, volumes remained well below the highs recorded in 2021. How are higher mortgages impacting homebuyers? For homeowners, the impact is being felt most acutely as fixed-rate deals expire. Mortgage terms in the UK typically range from two to ten years, and many borrowers who locked in historically low rates are now facing significantly higher repayments when refinancing. By the end of 2026, an estimated five million homeowners will see their mortgage deals expire. Roughly two million of these loans are projected to experience a monthly payment increase of up to *** British pounds by 2026, putting additional pressure on household budgets and constraining affordability across the market.

Mortgage interest rates in the UK were on a downward trend for more than a decade before soaring in 2022. In the first quarter of 2025, the average weighted interest rate stood at **** percent — nearly ***** times the interest rate in the first quarter of 2022. Mortgage rates also vary depending on the type of mortgage: Historically, fixed rate mortgages with a shorter term had on average lower interest rates. What types of mortgages are there? In terms of the type of interest rate, mortgages can be fixed and variable. A fixed interest rate is simply a mortgage where the rate of repayment is fixed, while a variable rate depends on the lender’s underlying variable interest rate. Furthermore, mortgages could be for a house purchase or for refinancing. The vast majority of mortgages in the UK are fixed rate mortgages for house purchase, and only a small share is for remortgaging. How big is the UK mortgage market? The UK has the largest mortgage market in Europe, amounting to over ** billion euros in gross residential mortgage lending as of the fourth quarter of 2024. When comparing the total outstanding residential mortgage lending, the UK also ranks first with about *** trillion euros.

Mortgage rates in the United Kingdom (UK) have risen dramatically since the beginning of 2022, causing concerns about households with loans up for renewal facing notable increases in costs. That is the case for 1.4 million fixed rate mortgages up for renewal in 2023. This type of mortgage is a popular choice among homebuyers because it allows them to lock in the interest rate for a specific period. After the period runs out, homebuyers need to renegotiate the loan or switch to a variable interest rate. The vast majority of loans up for renewal until 2024 have an initial effective mortgage rate of less than 2.5 percent - significantly lower than the current mortgage rates.

Interest rates in the UK spiked in 2022 and 2023, with the average rate for new mortgage advances to individuals and individual trusts rising by **** percentage points between January 2022 and January 2024. Mortgages on a floating interest rate were the most expensive as of January 2024, at **** percent. On the other hand, the average rate for new advances with a five-year fixed rate was **** percent.

Data for households in receipt of Support for Mortgage Interest (SMI) loans is available in Stat-Xplore on a quarterly basis.

These quarterly experimental statistics include number of households who are currently in receipt of the support as well as the number who have received SMI loans so far (see the background information and methodology note for an explanation of households).

The statistics are broken down by:

• Quarter
• Country, Region
• Qualifying Benefit

Notices

Geography data:

• geography information may not be up to date for some households. This affects the geography statistics from April 2020.

Background information

Read the background information and methodology note for guidance on these statistics, such as timeliness and interpretation.

Interactive statistics

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Next releases

Support for Mortgage Interest statistics are published quarterly. The dates for future releases are listed in the statistics release calendar.

Pre-release access

In addition to staff who are responsible for the production and quality assurance of the statistics, up to 24-hour pre-release access is provided to ministers and other officials. We publish the job titles and organisations of the people who have been granted up to 24-hour pre-release access to the latest Support for Mortgage Interest statistics.

The benchmark interest rate in the United Kingdom was last recorded at 4 percent. This dataset provides - United Kingdom Interest Rate - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Due to interest rates decreasing in recent years, mortgages in the United Kingdom have become overall more affordable: In 2007, when mortgages were the least affordable, a home buyer spent on average **** percent of their income on mortgage interest and *** percent on capital repayment. In 2019, the year with the most affordable mortgages, mortgage interest accounted for *** percent and capital repayment was **** percent of their income. As interest rates increase in response to the rising inflation, mortgage affordability is expected to worsen. Though below the levels observed before 2007, the total mortgage repayment between 2022 and 2026 is expected to exceed ** percent of income.

This dataset contains two sheets showing: The number of regulated mortgages outstanding as at end 2022 in the UK by region/country, broken down by interest rate type (for example fixed rate, Standard Variable Rate etc) The number regulated fixed rate mortgages outstanding as at end 2022 in the UK by region/country, broken down by the month in which the fixed rate ('incentive rate') ends The data was provided to the GLA by the FCA, and the source is FCA Mortgages Performance Product Sales Data (PSD007).

In 2022, the majority of mortgage holders in the UK had a fixed rate repayment schedule. The share of respondents who had a fixed-rate repayment schedule was ** percent, followed by ** percent on a repayment schedule with a variable rate. Interest only mortgages were the case for ** percent of respondents, with an even split between a variable and fixed rate.

Mortgage interest rates in Europe soared in 2022 and remained elevated in the following two years. In many countries, this resulted in mortgage interest rates across the region more than doubling. In the first quarter of 2025, the average mortgage interest rate in the UK stood at **** percent. Spain had the lowest rate, at **** percent, while Poland had the highest, at *** percent. Why did mortgage interest rates increase? Mortgage rates have risen as a result of the European Central Bank (ECB) interest rate increase. The ECB increased its interest rates to tackle inflation. As inflation calms, the ECB is expected to cut rates, which allows mortgage lenders to reduce mortgage interest rates. What is the impact of interest rates on home buying? Lower interest rates make taking out a housing loan more affordable, and thus, encourage home buying. That can be seen in many countries across Europe: In France, the number of residential properties sold rose in the years leading up to 2021, and fell as interest rates increased. The number of houses sold in the UK followed a similar trend.

August 2024 marked a significant shift in the UK's monetary policy, as it saw the first reduction in the official bank base interest rate since August 2023. This change came after a period of consistent rate hikes that began in late 2021. In a bid to minimize the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Bank of England cut the official bank base rate in March 2020 to a record low of *** percent. This historic low came just one week after the Bank of England cut rates from **** percent to **** percent in a bid to prevent mass job cuts in the United Kingdom. It remained at *** percent until December 2021 and was increased to one percent in May 2022 and to **** percent in October 2022. After that, the bank rate increased almost on a monthly basis, reaching **** percent in August 2023. It wasn't until August 2024 that the first rate decrease since the previous year occurred, signaling a potential shift in monetary policy. Why do central banks adjust interest rates? Central banks, including the Bank of England, adjust interest rates to manage economic stability and control inflation. Their strategies involve a delicate balance between two main approaches. When central banks raise interest rates, their goal is to cool down an overheated economy. Higher rates curb excessive spending and borrowing, which helps to prevent runaway inflation. This approach is typically used when the economy is growing too quickly or when inflation is rising above desired levels. Conversely, when central banks lower interest rates, they aim to encourage borrowing and investment. This strategy is employed to stimulate economic growth during periods of slowdown or recession. Lower rates make it cheaper for businesses and individuals to borrow money, which can lead to increased spending and investment. This dual approach allows central banks to maintain a balance between promoting growth and controlling inflation, ensuring long-term economic stability. Additionally, adjusting interest rates can influence currency values, impacting international trade and investment flows, further underscoring their critical role in a nation's economic health. Recent interest rate trends Between 2021 and 2025, most advanced and emerging economies experienced a period of regular interest rate hikes. This trend was driven by several factors, including persistent supply chain disruptions, high energy prices, and robust demand pressures. These elements combined to create significant inflationary trends, prompting central banks to raise rates to temper spending and borrowing. However, in 2024, a shift began to occur in global monetary policy. The European Central Bank (ECB) was among the first major central banks to reverse this trend by cutting interest rates. This move signaled a change in approach aimed at addressing growing economic slowdowns and supporting growth.

Discover the booming European home mortgage finance market! This in-depth analysis reveals a €500B+ market with a CAGR exceeding 6%, driven by demographics, government incentives, and low-interest rates. Explore key trends, segments (home purchase, refinance, providers), and leading companies. Get insights for investment and strategic planning. Recent developments include: November 2022: Rocket Mortgage, the nation's largest mortgage lender and a part of Rocket Companies, today introduced a conventional loan option for Americans interested in purchasing or refinancing a manufactured home., November 2022: The Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB) approved four new loans worth EUR 232.5 million to boost affordable housing and other social sector development. Under this, it offered EUR 25 million in loans to Kosovo to finance the 'Adequate Social Housing Programme' to establish a sustainable social and affordable housing system in the country.. Notable trends are: Increased Number of Salaried Individuals is Driving the Market Growth.

Expenditure on rent by renters and mortgages by mortgage holders, by region and age from the Living Costs and Food Survey for the financial year ending 2022. Data is presented as a proportion of total expenditure and a proportion of disposable income.

The size of the UK Equity Lending Market market was valued at USD XX Million in 2024 and is projected to reach USD XXX Million by 2033, with an expected CAGR of 5.00% during the forecast period. Recent developments include: In February 2022, Selina Advance, a London-based fintech business, has raised USD150 million in investment to expand its home equity lending solutions to customers across the UK. The round of fundraising, coordinated by global private equity platform Lightrock, included USD 35 million in equity and USD 115 million in loans from Goldman Sachs and GGC to help the company expand across the UK., On February 2, 2022, Santander announced its decision to stop originating residential mortgages and home equity lines of credit (HELOCs) . Santander will continue to service existing home loans and lines of credit received till February 11, 2022.. Notable trends are: Raising Homeownership Rate is Driving the Home Equity Lending Market.

Mortgage interest rates worldwide varied greatly in June 2025, from less than ******percent in many European countries to as high as ***percent in Turkey. The average mortgage rate in a country depends on the central bank's base lending rate and macroeconomic indicators such as inflation and forecast economic growth. Since 2022, inflationary pressures have led to rapid increases in mortgage interest rates. Which are the leading mortgage markets? An easy way to estimate the importance of the mortgage sector in each country is by comparing household debt depth, or the ratio of the debt held by households compared to the county's GDP. In 2024, Switzerland, Australia, and Canada had some of the highest household debt to GDP ratios worldwide. While this indicator shows the size of the sector relative to the country’s economy, the value of mortgages outstanding allows to compare the market size in different countries. In Europe, for instance, the United Kingdom, Germany, and France were the largest mortgage markets by outstanding mortgage lending. Mortgage lending trends in the U.S. In the United States, new mortgage lending soared in 2021. This was largely due to the growth of new refinance loans that allow homeowners to renegotiate their mortgage terms and replace their existing loan with a more favorable one. Following the rise in interest rates, the mortgage market cooled, and refinance loans declined.

About 1.4 million households with mortgages up for renewal in the United Kingdom (UK) will face increasing monthly costs by the end of 2024 because of the aggressive mortgage interest hikes since the beginning of 2022. For about one million of these households, the increase will be between one British pound and 300 British pounds, while for 388,000 households, the increase will be higher. By December 2026, the number of households with rising mortgage payments is projected at 3.9 million. Meanwhile, about two million mortgage borrowers are expected to benefit from reduced mortgage payments by the end of 2026.

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Business mortgages, or buy-to-let (BTL) mortgages, are a loan sold to property investors, rather than to people who want to purchase a home to live in. In 2022, the five-year fixed mortgage interest rate for a BTL property in the United Kingdom was **** percent, which was an increase by **** percent compared to the same quarter of 2021. Conversely, the 10-year mortgage rate decreased from **** percent to *** percent. The vast majority of UK landlords had a fixed mortgage, with 5-year fix being the most popular mortgage term.

Policy interest rates in the U.S. and Europe are forecasted to decrease gradually between 2024 and 2027, following exceptional increases triggered by soaring inflation between 2021 and 2023. The U.S. federal funds rate stood at **** percent at the end of 2023, the European Central Bank deposit rate at **** percent, and the Swiss National Bank policy rate at **** percent. With inflationary pressures stabilizing, policy interest rates are forecast to decrease in each observed region. The U.S. federal funds rate is expected to decrease to *** percent, the ECB refi rate to **** percent, the Bank of England bank rate to **** percent, and the Swiss National Bank policy rate to **** percent by 2025. An interesting aspect to note is the impact of these interest rate changes on various economic factors such as growth, employment, and inflation. The impact of central bank policy rates The U.S. federal funds effective rate, crucial in determining the interest rate paid by depository institutions, experienced drastic changes in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The subsequent slight changes in the effective rate reflected the efforts to stimulate the economy and manage economic factors such as inflation. Such fluctuations in the federal funds rate have had a significant impact on the overall economy. The European Central Bank's decision to cut its fixed interest rate in June 2024 for the first time since 2016 marked a significant shift in attitude towards economic conditions. The reasons behind the fluctuations in the ECB's interest rate reflect its mandate to ensure price stability and manage inflation, shedding light on the complex interplay between interest rates and economic factors. Inflation and real interest rates The relationship between inflation and interest rates is critical in understanding the actions of central banks. Central banks' efforts to manage inflation through interest rate adjustments reveal the intricate balance between economic growth and inflation. Additionally, the concept of real interest rates, adjusted for inflation, provides valuable insights into the impact of inflation on the economy.