UK Mortgage Guides
Plain-English explainers on UK mortgage pricing, the Bank of England base rate, affordability calculations, stamp duty, and government schemes — every guide sourced from the original BoE, HM Land Registry, FCA, or HMRC publication.
Reviewed by PlainMortgage Editorial. Not financial advice — see About.
How UK Mortgage Rates Work
A plain-English guide to UK mortgage pricing — fixed rates, trackers, SVRs, and how lender swap-rate funding shapes what you pay.
Bank of England Base Rate Explained
What the base rate is, how the Monetary Policy Committee sets it, and the channels through which it reaches your monthly mortgage payment.
Fixed vs Variable Mortgages — Which One Wins?
Two-year fix, five-year fix, ten-year fix, tracker, or standard variable rate — when each makes sense and the breakeven maths behind the decision.
First-Time Buyer Schemes in the UK
Lifetime ISAs, Shared Ownership, the Mortgage Guarantee Scheme, and Help to Buy successors — who qualifies and what the catches are.
UK Stamp Duty Explained
How Stamp Duty Land Tax is calculated, the first-time buyer threshold, the second-home surcharge, and the Scottish LBTT and Welsh LTT equivalents.
How Lenders Calculate Mortgage Affordability
The income multiple ceiling, the stress test, debt-to-income ratios, and the FCA MCOB rules that constrain how much any UK lender can offer.
Buy-to-Let Mortgage Rules in 2026
How rental coverage ratios work, the post-2024 tax changes that hit landlord profitability, and what underwriting looks like for portfolio investors.
The UK House Price Index Explained
What the HM Land Registry HPI measures, why it lags by six weeks, and how to read regional vs national price movement honestly.