After a lot of speculation, the Bank of England overwhelmingly voted last month to keep interest rates at 0.1%.
Interest rates have remained at a low of 0.1% since the start of the pandemic, however with inflation to the end of October at 4.2% (the highest since 2011) the Bank has indicated that a slight rise may be expected in the coming months. The next decision takes place on 16th December.
What is the Bank of England base rate?
The base rate is a standard for the cost of borrowing money. It is significant to homeowners because mortgage lenders (and other types of loan providers) use it as the basis for the rates they charge. If the base rate rises, then the cost for borrowing will also rise.
What is inflation and why does it matter?
From increases in everyday goods and shopping to rising energy bills, the rate of inflation tends to affect everything we need to pay for. In particular grocery prices have been suggested to have already been increased as manufacturers pass on their growing costs of wages, materials, energy and transport.
As a result of the current inflation rate, the Bank of England has a target of reducing inflation down to 2% and one of the main ways to achieve this is by increasing interest rates.
How will an increase in interest rates affect my mortgage?
An increase in rates may have an impact on your monthly mortgage payments but it will also depend on what sort of mortgage you have. If you have a fixed-rate deal, the good news is that nothing will change until your deal ends and you need to re-mortgage.
However if you are a borrower with a variable or tracker mortgage or your fixed deal is coming to an end your payments may change if the base rate changes.
A standard variable rate is what you’ll be transferred onto if the term of your fixed rate deal, or discount deal, ends before you re-mortgage.
Rate increases are likely to occur slowly. Historically banks have gone for 0.25% to reduce the impact.
What can I do about it?
You should speak to a qualified mortgage advisor if you are unsure which options would be best for your individual circumstances.
If your fixed rate deal is due to end within the next few months, you could see what your options are for a good deal now, while you can. Advisers can apply for deals several months before your mortgage expires, as this can sometimes be a long process, it may be a good idea to start this before your current deal ends.
Here at Bluebell we have specialist advisers that can help you find the best deal for you.
Give us a call today for you free initial consultation 01473 213312
