Natwest raises fixed mortgage rates by up to 0.35% as Barclays and Virgin Money also raise home loan prices
- Mortgage rates have risen rapidly as lenders grapple with rising base rates
- Market expects the Bank of England interest rate to rise further this year
Barclays, Natwest and Virgin Money have become the latest major mortgage lenders to raise interest rates on their fixed loans as market volatility continues to fluctuate.
In a memo to brokers, NatWest announced that it is increasing rates for both new and existing customers by up to 0.35 percent on selected two-year and five-year fixed deals.
Similarly, Virgin Money has said some two-year fixed rates will rise 0.1 percent from 8 p.m. June 29, taking them over 6 percent.
Natwest is the last major mortgage lender to increase its fixed rates
So far, Barclays has not given any details about the price review, saying only that fixed rates are rising.
These announcements are the latest increases in a tumultuous month for home loans that kicked off when higher-than-expected inflation rates in May sent the market into a frenzy.
Lenders raised rates forward again in anticipation of the Bank of England’s decision to raise its base rate by 0.5 percent, bringing it to a 15-year high of 5 percent.
However, market expectations that base rates could rise to 6 percent in the coming year have led to further increases as lenders keep pace with swap rate movements.
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Swaps give an indication of where interest rates are likely to be at some point in the future.
The two-year swap rate is currently 5.82 percent and has risen 0.65 percent over the past month and 1.38 percent over the past six months.
Last week, TSB gave less than four hours’ notice for discontinuing a selection of its mortgage products. The fourth time in two weeks.
According to MoneyFacts, the average interest rate on a two-year fixed mortgage with a 40 percent down payment is now 6.10 percent, up from 5.11 percent on June 1.
Before a 10 percent down payment, the average rate for a two-year fix was 5.66 percent on June 1, now it’s 6.36 percent.
How long will rates continue to rise?
Many had hoped that this month’s key interest rate decision would be the last hike in the cycle, but as inflation remains stubbornly high, those hopes are dashed.
This means that mortgage rates are likely to continue to rise in the near term as lenders keep up with the price of borrowing.
Interest rates have risen rapidly over the past month as disappointing inflation data increased the likelihood of further key rate hikes
Lewis Shaw, founder and mortgage expert at Shaw Financial Services, said: ‘Chances are that it will continue at least until the bank’s interest-setting committee meets again in August.
“It may settle down at that point if inflation data moves in the right direction. Although it looks like it will continue if the reports are to be believed in 2024.
“This will hammer mortgage holders in a very big way, especially as so many have to roll off deals below 1 percent and face 6 percent rates.”
Ross McMillan, owner of Glasgow-based Blue Fish Mortgage Solutions added: “With about five weeks until the next base rate decision, it should be hoped that inflation data will finally start to show positive movement and jaded borrowers can get some reprieve .
“However, as optimism about a speedy recovery to happier times wanes, it sadly looks like the second half of 2023 will prove challenging for individuals and the UK housing market as a whole.”
The number of loans approved for home purchases in May has risen slightly from the record low for mortgage purchases in April, despite rising interest rates.
Remortgage approvals rose from 32,500 to 33,600 over the same period, but these numbers do not take into account the higher rates following the Bank of England’s most recent rate hike.