London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Jan 09, 2026

Mortgage Market in Crisis as Rates Tick Up Amidst Interest Rate Fears

Mortgage Market in Crisis as Rates Tick Up Amidst Interest Rate Fears

The cost of living is increasing as 778 mortgage deals have been pulled in a week due to rising interest rates.
Amazon UK is offering parents term-time only contracts to address the ongoing dispute over pay and conditions with the GMB union.

This move will provide six weeks of holiday during the summer and two weeks over the Easter and Christmas breaks, giving eligible employees full-time benefits.

As a result of the recent launch of a part-time contract with flexible shift options, mortgage rates are now ticking back up on expectations the Bank of England rate could hit 5.5% in November.

To address this, experts suggest reviewing your mortgage rate, extending your mortgage term, considering interest-only mortgages, taking payment holidays, consolidating debt into the mortgage, and talking to your lender.

Additionally, more than 400 buy-to-let mortgage deals have been pulled from the market in the last week.

The owners of Asda, a UK-based supermarket chain, have agreed to acquire the UK and Ireland businesses of petrol station operator EG Group, including 350 petrol stations and over 1,000 food-to-go locations.

The acquisition is expected to be completed by the end of the year.

However, the GMB union has raised concerns that the deal could increase fuel prices and threaten food supplies.

Despite this, Asda's co-owner has stated that the acquisition will bring the company's "highly competitive fuel offer" to more customers.

Additionally, round-up of the latest fuel prices indicate that the cost of living crisis has put pressure on shoppers' available spend, with some companies reducing their pack sizes and others cutting prices on dairy products.

The UK is expected to see a "steady decline" in food prices despite a predicted quick fall not materializing.

Retailers have become more efficient, leading to a decline in the cost of food, clothing, and electronics over the past few decades.

Supermarkets may be encouraged to introduce voluntary price caps on essentials like milk and bread to help customers cope with the cost of living.

There have been reports of a new two-year fixed savings account with a rate of 5.15%, which is the highest rate seen in years.

Savers have been urged to switch accounts due to meager returns despite an increase in the Bank of England base rate.

Some account holders may be better off with challenger banks or building societies, particularly with instant access deals.

First Direct is launching a one-year fixed-rate savings account with a rate of 4.60% AER.

Shawbrook launched a one-year fixed-rate bond paying 5.06% AER and a one-year fixed-rate Isa at 4.43% AER.

Hampshire Trust Bank is offering a two-year fixed savings account with a 5.15% rate, and interest paid either annually or at maturity.

Hundreds of mortgage deals have been pulled on interest rate fears.

Mortgage rates on the high street are creeping up again, with two-year and five-year fixed deals at 5.38% and 5.05% respectively, higher than the Bank rate of 4.5%.

This increase in rates is due to the uncertainty surrounding future interest rate hikes, which is causing volatility in the mortgage market.

It is important for borrowers to seek advice and find a mortgage that suits their circumstances.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
UK Prime Minister Starmer Reaffirms Support for Danish Sovereignty Over Greenland Amid U.S. Pressure
UK Support Bolsters U.S. Seizure of Russian-Flagged Tanker Marinera in Atlantic Strike on Sanctions Evasion
The Claim That Maduro’s Capture and Trial Violate International Law Is Either Legally Illiterate—or Deliberately Deceptive
UK Data Watchdog Probes Elon Musk’s X Over AI-Generated Grok Images Amid Surge in Non-Consensual Outputs
Prince Harry to Return to UK for Court Hearing Without Plans to Meet King Charles III
UK Confirms Support for US Seizure of Russian-Flagged Oil Tanker in North Atlantic
Béla Tarr, Visionary Hungarian Filmmaker, Dies at Seventy After Long Illness
UK and France Pledge Military Hubs Across Ukraine in Post-Ceasefire Security Plan
Prince Harry Poised to Regain UK Security Cover, Clearing Way for Family Visits
UK Junk Food Advertising Ban Faces Major Loophole Allowing Brand-Only Promotions
Maduro’s Arrest Without The Hague Tests International Law—and Trump’s Willingness to Break It
German Intelligence Secretly Intercepted Obama’s Air Force One Communications
The U.S. State Department’s account in Persian: “President Trump is a man of action. If you didn’t know it until now, now you do—do not play games with President Trump.”
Fake Mainstream Media Double Standard: Elon Musk Versus Mamdani
HSBC Leads 2026 Mortgage Rate Cuts as UK Lending Costs Ease
US Joint Chiefs Chairman Outlines How Operation Absolute Resolve Was Carried Out in Venezuela
Starmer Welcomes End of Maduro Era While Stressing International Law and UK Non-Involvement
Korean Beauty Turns Viral Skincare Into a Global Export Engine
UK Confirms Non-Involvement in U.S. Military Action Against Venezuela
UK Terror Watchdog Calls for Australian-Style Social Media Ban to Protect Teenagers
Iranian Protests Intensify as Another Revolutionary Guard Member Is Killed and Khamenei Blames the West
Delta Force Identified as Unit Behind U.S. Operation That Captured Venezuela’s President
Europe’s Luxury Sanctions Punish Russian Consumers While a Sanctions-Circumvention Industry Thrives
Berkshire’s Buffett-to-Abel Transition Tests Whether a One-Man Trust Model Can Survive as a System
Fraud in European Central Bank: Lagarde’s Hidden Pay Premium Exposes a Transparency Crisis at the European Central Bank
Trump Announces U.S. Large-Scale Strike on Venezuela, Declares President Maduro and Wife Captured
Tesla Loses EV Crown to China’s BYD After Annual Deliveries Decline in 2025
UK Manufacturing Growth Reaches 15-Month Peak as Output and Orders Improve in December
Beijing Threatened to Scrap UK–China Trade Talks After British Minister’s Taiwan Visit
Newly Released Files Reveal Tony Blair Pressured Officials Over Iraq Death Case Involving UK Soldiers
Top Stocks and Themes to Watch in 2026 as Markets Enter New Year with Fresh Momentum
No UK Curfew Ordered as Deepfake TikTok Falsely Attributes Decree to Prime Minister Starmer
Europe’s Largest Defence Groups Set to Return Nearly Five Billion Dollars to Shareholders in Twenty Twenty-Five
Abu Dhabi ‘Capital of Capital’: How Abu Dhabi Rose as a Sovereign Wealth Power
Diamonds Are Powering a New Quantum Revolution
Trump Threatens Strikes Against Iran if Nuclear Programme Is Restarted
Apple Escalates Legal Fight by Appealing £1.5 Billion UK Ruling Over App Store Fees
UK Debt Levels Sit Mid-Range Among Advanced Economies Despite Rising Pressures
UK Plans Royal Diplomacy with King Charles and Prince William to Reinvigorate Trade Talks with US
King Charles and Prince William Poised for Separate 2026 US Visits to Reinforce UK-US Trade and Diplomatic Ties
Apple Moves to Appeal UK Ruling Ordering £1.5 Billion in Customer Overcharge Damages
King Charles’s 2025 Christmas Message Tops UK Television Ratings on Christmas Day
The Battle Over the Internet Explodes: The United States Bars European Officials and Ignites a Diplomatic Crisis
Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie Join Royal Family at Sandringham Christmas Service
Fine Wine Investors Find Little Cheer in Third Year of Falls
UK Mortgage Rates Edge Lower as Bank of England Base Rate Cut Filters Through Lending Market
U.S. Supermarket Gives Customers Free Groceries for Christmas After Computer Glitch
Air India ‘Finds’ a Plane That Vanished 13 Years Ago
Caviar and Foie Gras? China Is Becoming a Luxury Food Powerhouse
Hong Kong Climbs to Second Globally in 2025 Tourism Rankings Behind Bangkok
×