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 August 2025, the average 10-year fixed mortgage rate had climbed to 4.49 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 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.

Mortgage interest rates in the UK were on a downward trend for more than a decade before soaring in 2022. In the fourth quarter of 2024, the average weighted interest rate stood at **** percent — nearly ***** times the interest rate in the fourth quarter of 2021. 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 nearly ***billion euros in gross residential mortgage lending as of the second quarter of 2023. When comparing the total outstanding residential mortgage lending, the UK also ranks first with about *** trillion euros.

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

Background information

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

Interactive statistics

Find further breakdowns of these statistics on https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/jsf/login.xhtml" class="govuk-link">Stat-Xplore, an online tool for exploring some of the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP’s) main statistics.

Feedback

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: stephanie.demiranda@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.

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.

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 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 was £1,630.5 billion at the end of 2022 Q1, 4.4% higher than a year earlier. The value of gross mortgage advances in 2022 Q1 was £76.9 billion, which was £6.7 billion greater than the previous quarter, but 7.5% lower than in 2021 Q1. The value of new mortgage commitments (lending agreed to be advanced in the coming months) in 2022 Q1 was 6.7% greater than the previous quarter and 6.6% greater than a year earlier, at £82.5 billion.

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 was £1,667.1 billion at the end of 2022 Q3, 4.1% higher than a year earlier. The value of gross mortgage advances in 2022 Q3 was £85.9 billion, which was £8.0 billion greater than the previous quarter, and 17.0% higher than in 2021 Q3. The value of new mortgage commitments (lending agreed to be advanced in the coming months) in 2022 Q3 was 4.5% greater than the previous quarter and the highest value recorded since 2007 Q3.

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.

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 was £1,648 billion at the end of 2022 Q2, 3.8% higher than a year earlier.

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 was £1,675.8 billion at the end of 2022 Q4, 3.9% higher than a year earlier. The value of gross mortgage advances in 2022 Q4 was £81.6 billion, which was £4.3 billion lower than the previous quarter, but 16.3% higher than in 2021 Q4. The value of new mortgage commitments (lending agreed to be advanced in the coming months) in 2022 Q4 was 33.5% less than the previous quarter and 24.5% less than a year earlier, at £58.4 billion. If the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic and period immediately thereafter is excluded, this was the lowest observed since 2015 Q1.

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).

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.

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 fourth quarter of 2024, the average mortgage interest rate in the UK stood at *** percent. Belgium 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.

Mortgage brokers’ revenue is anticipated to climb at a compound annual rate of 4.5% over the five years through 2024-25 to £2.3 billion, including estimated growth of . Rising residential property transactions stimulated by government initiatives and rising house prices have driven industry growth. However, mortgage brokers have faced numerous obstacles, including downward pricing pressures from upstream lenders and a sharp downturn in the housing market as rising mortgage rates ramped up the cost of borrowing. After a standstill in residential real estate activity in the immediate aftermath of the COVID-19 outbreak, ultra-low base rates, the release of pent-up demand, the introduction of tax incentives and buyers reassessing their living situation fuelled a V-shaped recovery in the housing market. This meant new mortgage approvals for house purchases boomed going into 2021-22, ramping up demand for brokerage services. 2022-23 was a year rife with economic headwinds, from rising interest rates to fears of a looming recession. Yet, the housing market stood its ground, with brokers continuing to benefit from rising prices. Elevated mortgage rates eventually hit demand for houses in the first half of 2023, contributing to lacklustre house price growth in 2023-24, hurting revenue, despite a modest recovery in the second half of the year as mortgage rates came down. In 2024-25, lower mortgage rates and an improving economic outlook support house prices, driving revenue growth. Mortgage brokers’ revenue is anticipated to swell at a compound annual rate of 5.3% over the five years through 2029-30 to £2.9 billion. Competition from direct lending will ramp up. Yet, growth opportunities remain. The emergence of niche mortgage products, like those targeting retired individuals and contractors, as well as green mortgages, will support revenue growth in the coming years. AI is also set to transform the industry, improving cost efficiencies by automating tasks like document verification, risk assessment and customer profiling.

United Kingdom Lending Rate: Outs: Households: Mortgages (MG) data was reported at 3.850 % pa in Mar 2025. This records a decrease from the previous number of 3.870 % pa for Feb 2025. United Kingdom Lending Rate: Outs: Households: Mortgages (MG) data is updated monthly, averaging 3.500 % pa from Jan 1999 (Median) to Mar 2025, with 315 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 7.410 % pa in Jan 1999 and a record low of 2.010 % pa in Jan 2022. United Kingdom Lending Rate: Outs: Households: Mortgages (MG) data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Bank of England. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United Kingdom – Table UK.M002: Lending Rate: Outstanding. [COVID-19-IMPACT]

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.

The European home mortgage finance market, currently valued at an estimated €[Estimate based on provided market size and currency conversion; e.g., €500 Billion] in 2025, is projected to experience robust growth, exhibiting a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) exceeding 6% from 2025 to 2033. This expansion is fueled by several key drivers. Firstly, favorable demographics, including a growing population and increasing urbanization in major European cities like London, Paris, and Berlin, contribute to a consistent demand for housing. Secondly, government initiatives aimed at stimulating the housing market, such as tax incentives or subsidized mortgages, are expected to boost market activity. Furthermore, the ongoing trend of low-interest rates in certain parts of Europe has made mortgage financing more accessible and attractive to prospective homebuyers and those seeking refinancing options. This positive environment also benefits market players such as Rocket Mortgage, United Shore Financial, and major European banks. However, the market is not without its challenges. Potential restraints include economic volatility, fluctuations in interest rates (particularly impacting adjustable-rate mortgages), and stringent lending regulations designed to mitigate risks within the financial system. Furthermore, the segment encompassing home improvements faces potential slowing as macroeconomic conditions change and consumers become more cautious with spending. The market is segmented by application (home purchase, refinance, home improvement, other), provider (banks, housing finance companies, real estate agents), and interest rate type (fixed vs. adjustable). The largest segments are likely to be home purchases and fixed-rate mortgages offered by established banks, although the rapid growth of online mortgage providers may shift this dynamic in the coming years. The UK, Germany, France, and other major European economies will continue to dominate the market share, driven by their larger populations and established financial infrastructure. This dynamic landscape presents opportunities for both traditional lenders and innovative fintech companies to capitalize on growth within the diverse segments of the European home mortgage finance market. 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.