Bank of England base rate: 3.75% Avg 2-year fix: 5.09% Avg 5-year fix: 5.12% Today’s ratesGuides

Updated August 2026

UK Mortgage Guides

Written for people making a decision this month, not for search engines. Every guide uses current 2026 figures, links to the calculator that does the arithmetic, and says plainly when the honest answer is “it depends”.

Every UK mortgage guide, in one place

Affordability

How much can I borrow for a mortgage in 2026?

Income multiples from 4× to 6.5×, what lenders subtract before they lend, and the six things that quietly shrink your maximum.

12 min read →
Rates

2-year vs 5-year fixed: which wins in 2026?

With both priced within 0.03 percentage points, the decision has stopped being about the rate. Here is what it is actually about.

9 min read →
First-time buyers

First-time buyer guide: the full 2026 cost list

Deposit, stamp duty relief, legal fees, surveys, and the costs that appear between offer and completion.

14 min read →
Remortgaging

Remortgaging explained: timing, costs and traps

When to start, product transfer versus full remortgage, and how to work out whether switching genuinely pays.

10 min read →
Tax

Stamp duty explained: SDLT, LBTT and LTT in 2026

Three UK property taxes, three sets of rules. What you pay, when relief applies, and how the surcharge catches people out.

11 min read →
Paying it off

Should you overpay your mortgage in 2026?

The arithmetic against savings and pensions, the term-versus-payment trap, and when overpaying is the wrong move.

9 min read →
Mortgage types

Interest-only mortgages: who can still get one?

Lender criteria in 2026, acceptable repayment vehicles, and what happens if the plan falls short at the end of the term.

10 min read →
Landlords

Buy to let in 2026: the complete guide

The interest cover ratio, Section 24, the 5% stamp duty surcharge, and whether a limited company is worth it.

13 min read →

Start with a calculator

Most questions are quicker to answer with numbers than with prose. These are the tools behind the guides.