Ask the expert: Should I pay into an ISA, pension or overpay my mortgage? Personal Finance Fidelity personal finance specialist Marianna Hunt helps a saver decide where to place their capital as interest rates fall. Q: In light of current interest rate expectations, is it better to pay down my mortgage, pay into my pension or invest in an ISA? I have a £350,000 property with a £200,000 mortgage at 4 [...]
Monzo snaps up UK mortgage broker in first major acquisition Fintech UK fintech Monzo has made its first major acquisition with a deal to snap up a digital mortgage broker in a bid bulk up its “all-in-one” superapp. The digital bank announced on Friday it had snapped up Habito, a fintech firm which uses tech to accelerate the home-buying process with free online advice. The deal [...]
What does the Bank’s rate decision mean for your finances? Personal Finance UK households who were hoping for a rate cut today may be disappointed after the Bank of England held interest rates at four per cent. The decision came amid concerns surrounding high inflation ahead of Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ crunch Budget later this month. Governor Andrew Bailey, who had the deciding vote, said he would “prefer [...]
Natwest shares jump after cost-cutting boosts profit October 24, 2025 Natwest stock surged in early trading this morning after the lender posted a major bump in third-quarter profit following its cost-cutting regime. The FTSE 100 giant’s operating profit before tax surged over 30 per cent in the third quarter to £2.2bn, up from £1.7bn last year. Shares were up over five per cent as markets [...]
Only one in three Brits think home ownership is achievable in their lifetime October 23, 2025 Only 30 per cent of Brits expect to be able to afford a home within their lifetime, according to fresh research. Home ownership has become increasingly out of reach for Brits in the last three decades as wage increases have failed to keep up with rocketing house prices. The findings, from Barclays, represent a stark [...]
Average age of first-time buyer in London hits 35 August 12, 2025 The average age of Brits buying their first homes has surged over the past two decades as house prices have risen faster than wages. The average age of a first-time buyer in London was 31 in the mid-2000s, but it has since risen to nearly 35, according to new research from Conveyancing Solicitor. Property expert [...]
Mortgage recovery hinges on a Bank of England interest rate cut August 6, 2025 Homeowners across the UK are catching a break as mortgage arrears fell for the first time since the cost-of-living crisis began – but a full recovery will hinge on the Bank of England’s decision on Thursday. Missed mortgage payments in the second quarter fell by 4.4 per cent across the UK, whilst direct debit rejections [...]
Over 50s mortgages help LiveMore turbocharge growth August 6, 2025 According to Legal & General Mortgage Services, which is involved in around a third of all mortgage transactions in the UK, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of over-50-year-olds applying for mortgages. Rising house prices, coupled with increasing longevity, have pushed the average age of the first time buyer to 33, with [...]
Paragon maintains pace as stamp duty changes slow mortgage lending July 29, 2025 Paragon has weathered a shakeup in stamp duty as analysts hailed the FTSE 250 bank’s “excellent momentum” in the first nine months of the financial year. The London-listed business recorded £1.1bn mortgage lending for the first three quarters, but estimated full-year volumes at the lower end of targets at £1.6bn. The firm said subdued activity [...]
Rachel Reeves eyes boost for first-time buyers with mortgage reforms July 15, 2025 Rachel Reeves will today unveil a fleet of reforms in a bid to boost home ownership as she plans to slash ‘financial red tape’. Speaking in Leeds ahead of her Mansion House address, the Chancellor will announce plans for the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) to increase high loan-to-income mortgages (over 4.5 times a buyer’s income) [...]