Many people are aware of the fact that fluctuating interest rates can impact various aspects of their lives, from mortgage payments to their ability to take out a personal loan. However, few people can actually explain why.
This is because we tend not to be taught about interest rates (or the Bank of England) in school, despite the pivotal influence it has on our lives. In this article, we’ll make it easier than ever for you to understand the Bank of England Interest Rates and how they affect you.
What is the Bank of England?
The Bank of England is the UK’s central bank. They oversee numerous financial operations, such as producing banknotes and managing digital payment processes. However, one of their most important roles is setting (and altering) interest rates in the UK.
What are interest rates?
The Bank of England sets (and alters) the Bank Rate in the UK, which is a form of interest rate that helps us to remain financially stable by preventing inflation. Interests are typically set at a percentage, and the figure reflects the interest the Bank of England pays to the commercial banks storing their money. This, in turn, influences the rates that banks charge people to borrow and save money from them.
How interest rates are set,
The interest rates are set by the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), which is a specialist committee comprised of financial and economic experts, including:
- The Bank of England Governor
- Three Bank of England Deputy Governors
- The Bank of England’s Chief Economist
- Four External Members
The decision to alter the Bank Rate is put to a vote, though a wide variety of factors are taken into consideration, including:
- The current inflation rate
- The current unemployment rate
- Economic growth
Current Interest Rate Environment.
The Bank of England will set the bank rate every six weeks. Right now, the interest rate is 5%. This is a slight drop from the bank rate from July 2024, which sat at 5.25%. While this may seem like a relatively low figure, a bank rate should ideally sit no higher than 2%.
In fact, the recent bank rate of 5.25% was the highest since the financial crisis in 2008, at which it reached 5.75%. These changes are instigated in an attempt by the MPC to control inflation.
Impact on Individuals.
As mentioned above, the Interest Rate set by the Bank of England alters the interest rates that commercial banks provide their customers. This means that it can have a profound impact on individuals who are borrowing and saving in the UK. It has a direct influence on:
- Mortgage Rates. If you had opted for a variable rate mortgage, changes to the bank rate could mean that your monthly payments increase or decrease in line with these shifts.
- Savings accounts. When the bank rate falls, this could mean that your returns on savings can fall alongside them.
- Borrowing costs. Whether you’re taking out credit cards or personal loans, the bank rate can also alter the cost of borrowing or spending money using a credit card.
Impact on the Economy.
It goes without saying that bank rates also have an impact on the economy, namely due to their influence on an individual’s buying and spending habits. However, they could also mean that businesses are less likely to invest in growth and development, as they are solely focused on staying afloat.
As such, businesses must work to take a proactive approach to interest rate changes. For example, this could include borrowing money or seeking investments at a strategic time in order to provide them with a greater sense of financial security moving forward. They may also want to deploy pricing strategies, which means the cost of products/services rises periodically.
What to Expect in the Future.
Without a background in economics, it can be difficult to predict how bank or interest rates will change. However, reading the latest reports provided by the MPC can provide some insight, especially as it adds context to the current rates, whether they’ve stayed the same, risen or dropped.
Right now, economists are optimistic that interest rates will continue to drop, bringing us steadily closer to a bank rate of 2%.
Paying close attention to the rates can help you to strengthen your financial prospects, though you may also need to seek out expert advice and support should you find yourself struggling.