UK Mortgage Approvals Rise More than Expected

Net mortgage approvals for house purchases in the UK rose to 63,531 in March 2026, up from a revised 62,708 in February and surpassing market expectations of 60,000. This marked the highest level since November 2025, exceeding the six-month average of around 63,200, supported by declining borrowing costs. Remortgaging approvals, which only account for switches to a different lender, also climbed to 51,300 in March from 41,200 in February. The effective interest rate on newly drawn mortgages fell to 4.03% in March from 4.10% in February, while the rate on the outstanding stock of mortgages edged down to 3.93% from 3.95%.

Net mortgage approvals for house purchases in the UK, which is an indicator of future borrowing, increased to 62,600 in February 2026 from 60,200 in January, above market expectations of 61,300. Approvals for remortgaging, which only capture remortgaging with a different lender, also increased to 41,200 in February, from 38,500 in January. The ‘effective’ interest rate on newly drawn mortgages slightly increased, to 4.10% in February, from 4.09% in January. The rate on the outstanding stock of mortgages was 3.95% in February, up from 3.90% in January.

Net mortgage approvals for house purchases in the UK fell to 59,999 in January 2026, down from 61,007 in December and below market expectations of 62,000, marking the lowest level since January 2024. The decline highlights the broader cooling in the UK housing market, which was weighed down last year by the expiry of a temporary tax break on certain home purchases and subdued buyer demand ahead of the November annual budget. Remortgage approvals, covering refinancing with a different lender, also fell to 38,100 in January from 38,400 in December. The effective interest rate on newly drawn mortgages edged down to 4.09% from 4.15%, while the rate on the outstanding stock of mortgages slipped slightly to 3.90% from 3.92%.