Mortgage rates increased at a record pace in 2022, with the 10-year fixed mortgage rate doubling between March 2022 and December 2022. With inflation increasing, the Bank of England introduced several bank rate hikes, resulting in higher mortgage rates. In May 2025, the average 10-year fixed rate interest rate reached **** percent. As borrowing costs get higher, demand for housing is expected to decrease, leading to declining market sentiment and slower house price growth. How have the mortgage hikes affected the market? After surging in 2021, the number of residential properties sold declined in 2023, reaching just above *** million. Despite the number of transactions falling, this figure was higher than the period before the COVID-19 pandemic. The falling transaction volume also impacted mortgage borrowing. Between the first quarter of 2023 and the first quarter of 2024, the value of new mortgage loans fell year-on-year for five straight quarters in a row. How are higher mortgages affecting homebuyers? Homeowners with a mortgage loan usually lock in a fixed rate deal for two to ten years, meaning that after this period runs out, they need to renegotiate the terms of the loan. Many of the mortgages outstanding were taken out during the period of record-low mortgage rates and have since faced notable increases in their monthly repayment. About **** million homeowners are projected to see their deal expire by the end of 2026. About *** million of these loans are projected to experience a monthly payment increase of up to *** British pounds by 2026.

Mortgage Rate in the United Kingdom decreased to 6.98 percent in June from 7.09 percent in May of 2025. This dataset provides - United Kingdom BBA Mortgage Rate- actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

The benchmark interest rate in the United Kingdom was last recorded at 4.25 percent. This dataset provides - United Kingdom Interest Rate - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Just as in many other countries, the housing market in the UK grew substantially during the coronavirus pandemic, fueled by robust demand and low borrowing costs. Nevertheless, high inflation and the increase in mortgage rates has led to house price growth slowing down. According to the forecast, 2024 is expected to see house prices decrease by ***** percent. Between 2024 and 2028, the average house price growth is projected at *** percent. A contraction after a period of continuous growth In June 2022, the UK's house price index exceeded *** index points, meaning that since 2015 which was the base year for the index, house prices had increased by ** percent. In just two years, between 2020 and 2022, the index surged by ** index points. As the market stood in December 2023, the average price for a home stood at approximately ******* British pounds. Rents are expected to continue to grow According to another forecast, the prime residential market is also expected to see rental prices grow in the next years. Growth is forecast to be stronger in 2024 and slow down in the period between 2025 and 2028. The rental market in London is expected to follow a similar trend, with Central London slightly outperforming Greater London.

Mortgage Approvals in the United Kingdom increased to 63.03 Thousand in May from 60.66 Thousand in April 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.

The UK housing market continued to show significant regional variations in 2025, with London maintaining its position as the most expensive city for homebuyers. The average house price in the capital stood at 555,625 British pounds in February, nearly double the national average. However, the market dynamics are shifting, with London experiencing only a modest 1.7 percent annual increase, while other cities like Belfast and Liverpool saw more substantial growth of over nine percent respectively. Affordability challenges and market slowdown Despite the continued price growth in many cities, the UK housing market is facing headwinds. The affordability of mortgage repayments has become the biggest barrier to property purchases, with the majority of the respondents in a recent survey citing it as their main challenge. Moreover, a rising share of Brits have reported affordability as a challenge since 2021, reflecting the impact of rising house prices and higher mortgage rates. The market slowdown is evident in the declining housing transaction volumes, which have plummeted since 2021. European context The stark price differences are mirrored in the broader European context. While London boasts some of the highest property prices among European cities, a comparison of the average transaction price for new homes in different European countries shows a different picture. In 2023, the highest prices were found in Austria, Germany, and France.

Building society revenue is anticipated to grow at a compound annual rate of 27.4% over the five years through 2025-26 to £51.7 billion, including estimated growth of 2.7% in 2025-26. Building societies have benefited from an influx of re-mortgaging activity, as homeowners have sought to lock in lower rates before expected interest rate rises. However, societies faced challenging operating conditions, including intense competition from other financial institutions like retail banks. Following the COVID-19 outbreak, the Bank of England underwent aggressive rate hikes, aiding interest income. Despite the growing base rate environment feeding through to elevated mortgage rates, the residential property market proved resilient for the majority of 2022-23, resulting in building societies reporting huge boosts to their net interest income. In 2023-24, rates continued to rise, lifting revenue growth further despite intensifying mortgage price competition. However, deposit costs picked up during the year, placing downward pressure on net interest income and profitability. Yet, revenue continued to skyrocket thanks to healthy interest income from mortgage lending in the higher base rate environment. In 2024-25, sticky inflation resulted in interest rates staying higher for longer, aiding revenue growth. However, rate cuts did occur as inflation normalised, contributing to a slower rate of revenue growth, which was partially offset by a healthy housing market. In 2025-26, revenue is set to continue growing as mortgage lending gathers momentum, with buyers making the most of lower borrowing costs. However, a declining base rate will continue to erode interest income and further slow revenue in 2025-26. Building society revenue is anticipated to grow at a compound annual rate of 2.5% over the five years through 2029-30 to reach £58.5 billion. The UK housing market will continue to grow thanks to lower borrowing costs and aid interest income in the coming years through healthier mortgage lending. Revenue growth will disperse outside of the capital in regions like the North West, Yorkshire and the West Midlands due to the government's levelling up agenda and private multinationals expanding their presence elsewhere.

In 2022, house price growth in the UK slowed, after a period of decade-long increase. Nevertheless, in March 2025, prices reached a new peak, with the average home costing ******* British pounds. This figure refers to all property types, including detached, semi-detached, terraced houses, and flats and maisonettes. Compared to other European countries, the UK had some of the highest house prices. How have UK house prices increased over the last 10 years? Property prices have risen dramatically over the past decade. According to the UK house price index, the average house price has grown by over ** percent since 2015. This price development has led to the gap between the cost of buying and renting a property to close. In 2023, buying a three-bedroom house in the UK was no longer more affordable than renting one. Consequently, Brits have become more likely to rent longer and push off making a house purchase until they have saved up enough for a down payment and achieved the financial stability required to make the step. What caused the recent fluctuations in house prices? House prices are affected by multiple factors, such as mortgage rates, supply, and demand on the market. For nearly a decade, the UK experienced uninterrupted house price growth as a result of strong demand and a chronic undersupply. Homebuyers who purchased a property at the peak of the housing boom in July 2022 paid ** percent more compared to what they would have paid a year before. Additionally, 2022 saw the most dramatic increase in mortgage rates in recent history. Between December 2021 and December 2022, the **-year fixed mortgage rate doubled, adding further strain to prospective homebuyers. As a result, the market cooled, leading to a correction in pricing.

The UK residential building construction industry, valued at approximately £185.55 million in 2025, is projected to experience moderate growth, with a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 2.26% from 2025 to 2033. This growth is fueled by several factors. Increased urbanization and population growth in key cities like London, Birmingham, Glasgow, and Liverpool are driving demand for new housing, particularly within the villas and landed houses, and condominiums and apartments segments. Government initiatives aimed at addressing housing shortages and improving infrastructure also contribute positively. However, the market faces constraints including fluctuating material costs, skilled labor shortages, and potential economic downturns which could impact investment and consumer confidence. The industry is highly competitive, with major players such as Willmott Dixon Holdings, Mace, Skanska UK, and Balfour Beatty vying for market share. These companies leverage expertise in project management, sustainable construction practices, and innovative technologies to remain competitive. The geographical distribution of projects varies, with London and other major cities expected to dominate, but regional growth will be influenced by local economic conditions and availability of land. The industry's future trajectory will depend on addressing these challenges effectively while capitalizing on the opportunities presented by population growth and government support. The construction sector's performance is closely tied to broader economic health. Interest rate fluctuations and changes in mortgage availability directly influence consumer purchasing power, impacting housing demand. Environmental regulations and a growing emphasis on sustainable building practices are reshaping the industry, promoting the adoption of eco-friendly materials and energy-efficient designs. This trend aligns with broader societal concerns regarding climate change and resource management, impacting material sourcing and project specifications. Competition is likely to intensify as established firms consolidate and new entrants emerge, particularly those specializing in sustainable and technological innovations. Strategic partnerships and mergers and acquisitions will play a significant role in shaping the competitive landscape, leading to increased efficiency and potentially improved capacity to manage the industry's challenges and capitalize on its growth opportunities. Recent developments include: December 2022: 375 low-carbon rental homes are delivered as part of a historic restoration project for Bristol City Center through public-private partnerships., December 2022: As the One Sydney Harbour residential building from Lendlease celebrates a critical milestone of "topping out" of Residences One, marking the completion of the highest structural point of the 72-story tower, it has secured more than $3.7 billion in sales over its three towers.. Key drivers for this market are: 4., Growth in Commercial Activities and Increased Competition4.; Increasing Demand for Affordable Housing Units. Potential restraints include: 4., Lack of Housing Spaces and Mortgage Regulation can Create Challenges. Notable trends are: Government mandates pertaining to Energy Efficiency.

House prices in the UK rose dramatically during the coronavirus pandemic, with growth slowing down in 2022 and turning negative in 2023. The year-on-year annual house price change peaked at 14 percent in July 2022. In April 2025, house prices increased by 3.5 percent. As of late 2024, the average house price was close to 290,000 British pounds. Correction in housing prices: a European phenomenon The trend of a growing residential real estate market was not exclusive to the UK during the pandemic. Likewise, many European countries experienced falling prices in 2023. When comparing residential property RHPI (price index in real terms, e.g. corrected for inflation), countries such as Germany, France, Italy, and Spain also saw prices decline. Sweden, one of the countries with the fastest growing residential markets, saw one of the largest declines in prices. How has demand for UK housing changed since the outbreak of the coronavirus? The easing of the lockdown was followed by a dramatic increase in home sales. In November 2020, the number of mortgage approvals reached an all-time high of over 107,000. One of the reasons for the housing boom were the low mortgage rates, allowing home buyers to take out a loan with an interest rate as low as 2.5 percent. That changed as the Bank of England started to raise the base lending rate, resulting in higher borrowing costs and a decline in homebuyer sentiment.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of house sales in the UK spiked, followed by a period of decline. In 2023 and 2024, the housing market slowed notably, and in January 2025, transaction volumes fell to 46,774. House sales volumes are impacted by a number of factors, including mortgage rates, house prices, supply, demand, as well as the overall health of the market. The economic uncertainty and rising unemployment rates has also affected the homebuyer sentiment of Brits. How have UK house prices developed over the past 10 years? House prices in the UK have increased year-on-year since 2015, except for a brief period of decline in the second half of 2023 and the beginning of 2024. That is based on the 12-month percentage change of the UK house price index. At the peak of the housing boom in 2022, prices soared by nearly 14 percent. The decline that followed was mild, at under three percent. The cooling in the market was more pronounced in England and Wales, where the average house price declined in 2023. Conversely, growth in Scotland and Northern Ireland continued. What is the impact of mortgage rates on house sales? For a long period, mortgage rates were at record-low, allowing prospective homebuyers to take out a 10-year loan at a mortgage rate of less than three percent. In the last quarter of 2021, this period came to an end as the Bank of England rose the bank lending rate to contain the spike in inflation. Naturally, the higher borrowing costs affected consumer sentiment, urging many homebuyers to place their plans on hold and leading to a decline in sales.

The borough with the highest property prices in London, Kensington and Chelsea, had an average price for a flat that was about ******* British pounds higher than the London average. London is the most populous metropolitan area in the UK, and living in it comes with a price tag. Unsurprisingly, the most expensive boroughs in terms of real estate prices are located in the heart of the metropolis: Kensington and Chelsea, the City of Westminster, and the City of London. In Kensington and Chelsea, home to several museums such as the Natural History Museum, the Victoria and Albert Museum, and the Science Museum, as well as galleries and theaters, the average price of apartments was over a million British pounds. How have residential property prices developed in recent years? The average house price in England declined slightly in 2023 after increasing year-on-year since 2008. The housing market in Wales also experienced a mild correction, but prices in Scotland and Northern Ireland continued to grow. Since 2015, the base year of the UK House Price Index, house prices in London have risen by over ** percent. In London, the cost of a flat decreased by *** percent year-on-year as of June 2024. However, some of the most expensive boroughs recorded a decline of over ** percent. Are residential property prices in London expected to grow in the future? Despite property prices declining in 2023, the market is forecast to continue to grow in the next five years, according to a March 2023 forecast. Some of the reasons for this are the robust demand for housing, the chronic shortage of residential properties and the anticipated decline in mortgage interest rates.