UK Mortgage Rates 2026: How the Iran War, Gilt Yields and Oil at $110 Are Pushing Borrowing Costs Higher
UK mortgage rates have started rising again after a brief easing earlier this spring. Brent crude above $110, 10-year gilt yields at the highest since the 2008 financial crisis, and Bank of England warnings about a possible further hike have shifted lender funding costs sharply upward.
Rightmove House Price Index May 2026: Asking Prices Hit £378,304, Buyer Choice at 11-Year High
Rightmove's May 2026 House Price Index shows new seller asking prices rose 1.2% month-on-month to £378,304, but 32% of homes on the market have already had a price reduction and buyer choice is at its highest May level since 2015.
UK Bank Ring-Fencing Reform 2026: Treasury Eases Post-Crisis Rules, Unlocks £80bn Lending
HM Treasury set out plans on 18 May 2026 to ease the post-2008 ring-fencing rules on UK banks, with a projected £80 billion in additional business lending. The reforms target the five largest UK banks: Lloyds, NatWest, HSBC, Barclays and Santander UK.
