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 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.

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

These quarterly official statistics include:

• the https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/openinfopage?id=SMI_CASELOAD">number of households who are currently in receipt of the support
• the https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/openinfopage?id=SMI_CUM">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

Background information

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

Feedback

Help us improve the statistics

Please complete this https://forms.office.com/e/bZ24FF7ha1">short survey to help us make the statistics better.

We welcome all feedback on the content, relevance, accessibility and timing of these statistics to help us in producing statistics that meet user needs. For non-media enquiries on these statistics email: nathan.kelly@dwp.gov.uk

For media enquiries please contact the DWP press office.

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.

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.

The BBA Mortgage Rate in the UK refers to the average interest rate on mortgages offered by major banks, as reported by the British Bankers' Association.-2025-12-05

The FCA and the Prudential Regulatory Authority (PRA) both have responsibility for the regulation of mortgage lenders and administrators. They jointly publish the mortgage lending statistics every quarter. Since the beginning of 2007, around 340 regulated mortgage lenders and administrators have been required to submit a Mortgage Lending and Administration Return (MLAR) each quarter, providing data on their mortgage lending activities. Latest findings The outstanding value of all residential mortgage loans increased by 0.5% from the previous quarter to £1,678.2 billion, the highest stock of outstanding mortgage loans since reporting began in 2007, and was 1.3% higher than a year earlier.

The BBA Mortgage Rate in the UK refers to the average interest rate on mortgages offered by major banks, as reported by the British Bankers' Association.-2025-05-08

The FCA and the Prudential Regulatory Authority (PRA) both have responsibility for the regulation of mortgage lenders and administrators. They jointly publish the mortgage lending statistics every quarter. Since the beginning of 2007, around 340 regulated mortgage lenders and administrators have been required to submit a Mortgage Lending and Administration Return (MLAR) each quarter, providing data on their mortgage lending activities. Latest findings The outstanding value of all residential mortgage loans increased by 0.3% from the previous quarter to £1,703.6 billion, and was 2.6% higher than a year earlier.

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.

The average mortgage interest rate decreased in nearly every country in Europe between 2012 and 2021, followed by an increase in response to inflation. In the first quarter of 2025, Poland, Hungary, and Romania topped the ranking as the countries with the highest mortgage interest rates in Europe. Conversely, Finland, Belgium, and Spain displayed the lowest interest rates. The UK, which is the country with the largest value of mortgages outstanding, had an interest rate of **** percent.

The FCA and the Prudential Regulatory Authority (PRA) both have responsibility for the regulation of mortgage lenders and administrators. They jointly publish the mortgage lending statistics every quarter. Since the beginning of 2007, around 340 regulated mortgage lenders and administrators have been required to submit a Mortgage Lending and Administration Return (MLAR) each quarter, providing data on their mortgage lending activities. Latest findings The outstanding value of all residential mortgage loans increased by 1.2% from the previous quarter to £1,698.5 billion, and was 2.6% higher than a year earlier.

This dataset provides values for INTEREST RATE reported in several countries. The data includes current values, previous releases, historical highs and record lows, release frequency, reported unit and currency.

This dataset provides values for MORTGAGE RATE reported in several countries. The data includes current values, previous releases, historical highs and record lows, release frequency, reported unit and currency.

The BBA Mortgage Rate in the UK refers to the average interest rate on mortgages offered by major banks, as reported by the British Bankers' Association.-2025-11-07

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.

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.

The FCA and the Prudential Regulatory Authority (PRA) both have responsibility for the regulation of mortgage lenders and administrators. They jointly publish the mortgage lending statistics every quarter.

Since the beginning of 2007, around 340 regulated mortgage lenders and administrators have been required to submit a Mortgage Lending and Administration Return (MLAR) each quarter, providing data on their mortgage lending activities.

Latest findings

• The outstanding value of all residential mortgage loans increased by 0.3% from the previous quarter to £1,703.6 billion, and was 2.6% higher than a year earlier.

• The value of gross mortgage advances decreased by 24.2% from the previous quarter to £58.8 billion, the lowest since 2024 Q1, and was 2.4% lower than a year earlier.

• The value of new mortgage commitments (lending agreed to be advanced in the coming months) increased by 14.6% from the previous quarter to £78.2 billion, the highest since 2022 Q3, and was 16.8% higher than a year earlier.