Bank Rate rises to 4%. Here is what it costs Huntingdonshire borrowers, and who feels it first.

The Bank of England raised Bank Rate from 3.75% to 4% on 5 November 2026, its first increase in more than three years. Homeowners across Huntingdonshire on tracker and standard variable rate mortgages will see their monthly payments go up, typically from late November or December, while anyone on a fixed deal is unaffected until that deal ends.

Why did the Bank of England raise rates in November 2026?

The Monetary Policy Committee voted 8-1 at its meeting ending 4 November to lift Bank Rate by a quarter point. One member, Catherine Mann, voted for a bigger rise to 4.25%. The reason is energy. CPI inflation was 3.5% in September, and the Bank now expects it to climb to around 5% by the middle of 2027 as higher energy costs, linked to conflict in the Middle East, work through to household bills. The Committee said the inflationary pressure in the pipeline was now enough to warrant a rise, while stressing that policy is not on a pre-set path.

This did not come out of nowhere. The minority voting for a rise had been growing all year, and by September it was three of nine.

Source: Bank of England Monetary Policy Summary and Minutes, June, July, September and November 2026. In November, eight members voted for 4% and one for 4.25%.

How much will my mortgage go up?

Most lenders are passing the full quarter point on to tracker and variable rate customers. On a 25-year repayment mortgage, a tracker moving from 4.75% to 5% looks like this:

These are Villager Homes' own calculations using standard repayment maths, not a lender quote. Your own figure depends on your rate, balance and remaining term.

Fixed rates are a different story. Lenders price fixes off swap rates, which had already moved in anticipation, so much of this rise was priced in before the vote. Moneyfacts figures reported in early November put the average two-year fix just under 6%. For the wider market, the Lloyds index (formerly Halifax) showed UK prices 1.2% lower in October than a year earlier, the steepest annual fall since 2023.

Which parts of Huntingdonshire feel this most?

Any household with a tracker or variable mortgage feels this straight away, wherever it sits in the patch. The pound impact is biggest where loan sizes run highest, which means the A14 corridor: Huntingdon, Brampton, Godmanchester, Hemingford Grey and St Ives, where buyers commuting to Cambridge often borrow more.

Along the A1 north, in Sawtry and Alconbury, and out west around Kimbolton, the effect is real but usually more modest in pounds, simply because typical balances are lower. Homeowners who own outright are not affected, and savers should see slightly better rates.

What should buyers, sellers and remortgagers do now?

• On a tracker or variable rate: check the letter from your lender for the effective date, and ask a broker whether a fix now makes sense before further rises.
• Fixed deal ending in the next six months: most lenders let you secure a new rate up to six months early, and you can usually switch if a better one appears before completion.
• Buying: get a fresh decision in principle, since affordability tests move with rates, and budget the whole move with our stamp duty calculator.
• Selling: buyers are borrowing at higher rates and the national index is soft, so the asking price has to be right from day one.

That last point is where we can help. A free in-person valuation gives you a realistic number grounded in what is actually selling locally, not national headlines. Our estate agents in Huntingdon and Brampton can talk you through timing your move around the next decision. For how the hawkish vote built up over the summer, read our report on Bank Rate being held at 3.75% in July.

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