If you’ve checked the news recently, you’ll likely have heard about rising interest rates and the worry they’re causing for many. We all know that there has been a considerable cost of living increase and that this has led to many of our utility bills, mortgages, and food shopping going up in price considerably.
What is an interest rate?
An interest rate is the cost of borrowing money and is usually expressed in an annual percentage of the loan. But when you are saving money, interest rates refer to the rate that your bank or building society will pay you to borrow your money.
What are current UK interest rates?
There has been so much talk about interest rates in the UK right now because the Bank of England has raised its interest rates for the 13th time in a row to try and stop the quick increase in prices. The bank rate has now gone up from 4.5% to 5% which means that more expenses could be on the cards for you if you’re a homeowner. In fact, the Bank rate is at its highest for 15 years, and the experts don’t think that the increase will stop there.But why does the interest rate keep getting increased? Well, the theory is that by making it more expensive to borrow money, fewer people must spend, which will bring down the demand and slow price rises. This has been the rationale behind many banks’ rate increases since December 2021 to try and control inflation.
How do interest rates affect you?
One of the main ways in which increased interest rates will affect you is by the rise of your monthly mortgage payments. Almost a third of households in the UK have a mortgage, with more than 1.4 million people on tracker and standard rate deals. Therefore, when interest rates rise, many households will see an immediate increase in monthly payments. So, with rising mortgage rates in 2023, the average household has less money to spend.
Will interest rates go down in 2023?
There is no way of knowing for sure if or when interest rates will start to come down, but it is probable to assume that until inflation comes down, the Bank of England is unlikely to lower the base rate. This is to prevent a great level of spending which could send inflation spiraling even further.But we do have some good news! The Bank has said that inflation rates should drop significantly throughout the rest of the year. While this won’t mean an immediate drop in interest rates, it could definitely be the end of rising interest rates.
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