Budget 2025: Reeves’ Property Tax Hikes – What UK Homeowners & Landlords Need to Know
Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ Budget 2025 unveils a ‘mansion tax’ for properties over £2 million and increased income tax on rental earnings, impacting UK homeowners, landlords, and those navigating complex financial situations.
Low-Deposit Mortgages Soar to 22.1% Amid Affordability Challenges – Barclays
UK First-Time Buyers are increasingly turning to lower-deposit mortgages and external support to achieve homeownership, as highlighted by Barclays’ latest property insights amidst ongoing affordability challenges.
GDP Slips to 0.1% as Jobs Weakens, Borrowers Could Benefit from a Sixth Rate Cut Before Christmas
UK GDP grew just 0.1% in the three months to September—half of what analysts predicted. The slowdown, paired with a cooling jobs market, increases the likelihood of another base rate cut in December, which could reduce mortgage costs for borrowers.
HSBC Lifts Borrowing Limit to 6.5× Salary – But Only for £100k+ Earners
HSBC has raised its mortgage lending cap to 6.5× annual income, up from the standard 4.5× limit, giving high earners access to over £200,000 in additional borrowing power. However, the offer is only available to Premier customers earning £100,000 or more, highlighting growing competition among lenders as rate cuts edge closer.
Bank of England Holds at 4%! Borrowers Could Save Up to £3,500 on a Tracker Mortgage
The Bank of England has kept interest rates at 4%, as inflation steadies at 3.8%. Borrowers now face a narrow window to secure favourable mortgage deals before potential cuts reduce rates further.
UK Mortgage Price War Returns: Major Banks Cut Rates to Revive Market
A new mortgage price war has erupted ahead of the November Budget, with major high street lenders cutting fixed-rate deals to attract borrowers amid a subdued housing market. Falling swap rates and gilt yields have allowed banks to reduce borrowing costs, fuelling fresh competition across the sector as lenders vie for new business.
Steady 3.8% Inflation Sparks 70% Odds of Bank Rate Cut Before Christmas
Markets now predict a 70% chance of a Bank of England rate cut before Christmas after inflation unexpectedly held at 3.8% for a third consecutive month. The steadiness in prices has renewed hopes that borrowing costs could begin easing as early as December.
IMLA Supports Government Plan to Modernise £1 Trillion Housing Market
Lenders across the UK mortgage industry have voiced strong support for the government’s £8 billion plan to reform the home buying and selling process — a move expected to reduce the one-in-three property transactions that currently fall through, costing consumers and the economy hundreds of millions each year.
Rightmove Calls for Stamp Duty Overhaul as Tax Hits Home Mobility
The government’s decision to maintain current Stamp Duty thresholds through 2025 has been welcomed by homebuyers and landlords alike. Experts suggest the extension will help sustain market activity and provide much-needed stability amid ongoing affordability pressures.