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 Approvals in the United Kingdom decreased to 65.02 Thousand in October from 65.65 Thousand in September of 2025. This dataset provides the latest reported value for - United Kingdom Mortgage Approvals - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.

Mortgage Rate in the United Kingdom remained unchanged at 6.78 percent in October. This dataset provides - United Kingdom BBA Mortgage Rate- actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

The 10 largest mortgage lenders in the United Kingdom accounted for approximately 83 percent of the total market, with the top three alone accounting for 48 percent in 2024. Lloyds Banking Group had the largest market share of gross mortgage lending, with nearly 47 billion British pounds in lending in 2024. HSBC, which is the largest UK bank by total assets, ranked fifth. Development of the mortgage market In 2024, the value of outstanding in mortgage lending to individuals amounted to 1.6 trillion British pounds. Although this figure has continuously increased in the past, the UK mortgage market declined dramatically in 2024, registering the lowest value of mortgage lending since 2015. In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic caused the market to contract for the first time since 2012. The next two years saw mortgage lending soar due to pent-up demand, but as interest rates soared, the housing market cooled, leading to a decrease in new loans of about 100 billion British pounds. The end of low interest rates In 2021, mortgage rates saw some of their lowest levels since recording began by the Bank of England. For a long time, this was particularly good news for first-time homebuyers and those remortgaging their property. Nevertheless, due to the rising inflation, mortgage rates started to rise in the second half of the year, resulting in the 10-year rate doubling in 2022.

Home Loans in the United Kingdom decreased to 4273 GBP Million in October from 5223 GBP Million in September of 2025. This dataset provides - United Kingdom Mortgage Lending- actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

The number of first-time buyer mortgage sales, by UK local authority, collected by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).

This data set contains Help to Buy: Equity Loan statistics at post code sector level.

The figures cover the launch of the scheme on 1 April 2013 until 31 October 2014.

Information on the allocation of completed sales to postcode sectors is derived using the latest available information on the full postcode for each scheme. Figures have been attributed to an individual postcode sector by reconciling data against the ONS Postcode Directory (May 2014) where possible. Figures may be subject to revision later in the year.

For sales before 31 March 2014, properties are included under the local authority district to which they were initially allocated. In some cases, this differs from latest information, which forms the basis of the first column of local authority district figures. Figures for some local authorities may be subject to revisions later in the year. Although local authority information is validated against other geographic data at the time of data entry, detailed reconciliation of the data, conducted twice a year, may result in a small number of changes to these monthly releases, for example where a new development crosses a local authority boundary.

An equity loan is Government financial assistance given to eligible applicants to purchase an eligible home through a Government equity mortgage secured on the home. The Government equity mortgage is ranked second in priority behind an owner’s main mortgage lender.

This scheme offers up to 20 per cent of the value as Government assistance to purchasers buying a new build home. The buyer must provide a cash deposit of at least 5 per cent and a main mortgage lender must provide a loan of at least 75 per cent.

The Government assistance to buy is made through an equity loan made by the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) to the purchaser.

Help to Buy equity loans are only available on new build homes and the maximum purchase price is £600,000. Equity loan assistance for purchasers is paid via house builders registered with the HCA to participate in the Help to Buy equity loan initiative. The payment is made to builders (via solicitors) at purchaser legal completion.

The equity loan is provided without fees for the first five years of ownership.

The property title is held by the home owner who can therefore sell their home at any time and upon sale should provide the government the value of the same equity share of the property when it is sold.

For further information see
Help to Buy (equity loan) scheme monthly statistics.

Interest rate on new mortgages in the United Kingdom decreased to 4.19 percent in September from 4.26 percent in August of 2025. This dataset includes a chart with historical data for the United Kingdom Interest Rate on New Mortgages.

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.

This data set contains Help to Buy: Equity Loan statistics at local authority level and includes total equity loans and equity loans to first time buyers . For data released from 5 March 2015 onwards, the Homes and Community Agency (HCA) have revised the completion date for the entire Help to Buy Equity Loan time series. The HCA have stopped counting payment date (when the money out is paid out by the HCA) and now report on the expected actual completion date. It is more accurate and is closer to the live situation, especially when HCA now recognise an asset based on a completion, rather than exchange and approved claim. As a result (and due to reinstating accounts) HCA have seen movement of actual completions dates. There should not be this level of difference moving forward, it was a one off activity. The figures cover the launch of the scheme on 1 April 2013 until 30 September 2016. Information on the allocation of completed sales to postcode sectors is derived using the latest available information on the full postcode for each scheme, which may be subject to revision. For sales before 31 March 2014, properties are included under the local authority district to which they were initially allocated. In some cases, this differs from latest information, which forms the basis of the first column of local authority district figures. Figures for some local authorities may be subject to revisions later in the year. Although local authority information is validated against other geographic data at the time of data entry, detailed reconciliation of the data, conducted twice a year, may result in a small number of changes to these monthly releases, for example where a new development crosses a local authority boundary. An equity loan is Government financial assistance given to eligible applicants to purchase an eligible home through a Government equity mortgage secured on the home. The Government equity mortgage is ranked second in priority behind an owner’s main mortgage lender. This scheme offers up to 20 per cent of the value as Government assistance to purchasers buying a new build home. The buyer must provide a cash deposit of at least 5 per cent and a main mortgage lender must provide a loan of at least 75 per cent. The Government assistance to buy is made through an equity loan made by the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) to the purchaser. Help to Buy equity loans are only available on new build homes and the maximum purchase price is £600,000. Equity loan assistance for purchasers is paid via house builders registered with the HCA to participate in the Help to Buy equity loan initiative. The payment is made to builders (via solicitors) at purchaser legal completion. The equity loan is provided without fees for the first five years of ownership. The property title is held by the home owner who can therefore sell their home at any time and upon sale should provide the government the value of the same equity share of the property when it is sold. For further information see Help to Buy (equity loan) scheme monthly statistics.

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.

Results of stress testing for EU countries (UK included), November 2020.

Consumer lending, excluding student loans, in the United Kingdom (UK) reached nearly 33.51 billion British pounds in March 2025. These figures have thus recovered from the stark decline suffered in April 2020. The value of new consumer credit granted also decreased during the economic crisis of 2007, although more gradually. The category consumer lending includes loans and advances to individuals through credit cards and personal loans. The majority of consumer credit is through credit card lending. Mortgage lending The value of outstanding mortgage lending in the UK is far higher than that of consumer credit. Additionally, the outstanding volume of consumer credit has fluctuated more in the past, while mortgages have had a more consistent growth. In the second quarter of 2024, the value of gross new mortgage lending in the UK amounted to over 60 billion British pounds. Credit card payments With billions of British pounds in gross consumer lending through credit cards, it’s unsurprising that the number of credit cards in circulation in 2022 was nearly as high as the number of people in the UK. The number of credit cards peaked in 2005, and it slightly decreased in the following months. However, there were still nearly 56 million credit cards in issue in the UK in 2023. The average amount spent per purchase on credit cards in the UK was roughly 59 British pounds in November 2024. This figure is much lower than the spending limit of most credit cards.

In 2024, the average mortgage rates in European countries varied from *** percent in Bulgaria to over nine percent in Hungary. The mortgage rate for a home purchase is decided depending on the individual situation of the homebuyer, their credit history, and income, but they also follow macro determinants including the base lending rate, inflation, economic growth, and the health of the housing market. Starts, completions and prices The supply of new housing varies in different countries in Europe. In 2023, the number of new housing units completed per 1,000 citizens was between *** and seven, with this number varying greatly in different countries. Ireland and Poland were among the countries with most completed housing units. When it comes to housing starts, Ireland tops the ranking. The average transaction price of a new dwelling in 2023 ranged anywhere from roughly ***** euros per square meter to under ***** euros per square meter. Housing stock As the most populous country in Europe, Germany has the largest housing stock. Comparing the number of housing units per 1,000 citizens is an easy way to identify housing shortages. In Greece and the UK, for example, the number of dwellings per 1,000 citizens measured less than ***, compared to Bulgaria and Spain, where it was around ***.

About 36 percent of homeowners in England were aged 65 and above, which contrasts sharply with younger age groups, particularly those under 35. Young adults between 25 and 35, made up 15 percent of homeowners and had a dramatically lower homeownership rate. The disparity highlights the growing challenges faced by younger generations in entering the property market, a trend that has significant implications for wealth distribution and social mobility. Barriers to homeownership for young adults The path to homeownership has become increasingly difficult for young adults in the UK. A 2023 survey revealed that mortgage affordability was the greatest obstacle to property purchase. This represents a 39 percent increase from 2021, reflecting the impact of rising house prices and mortgage rates. Despite these challenges, one in three young adults still aspire to get on the property ladder as soon as possible, though many have put their plans on hold. The need for additional financial support from family, friends, and lenders has become more prevalent, with one in five young adults acknowledging this necessity. Regional disparities and housing supply The housing market in England faces regional challenges, with North West England and the West Midlands experiencing the largest mismatch between housing supply and demand in 2023. This imbalance is evident in the discrepancy between new homes added to the housing stock and the number of new households formed. London, despite showing signs of housing shortage, has seen the largest difference between homes built and households formed. The construction of new homes has been volatile, with a significant drop in 2020, a rebound in 2021 and a gradual decline until 2024.

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.