BoE signals potential rate hikes as mortgages, bills and jobs loom for UK households

The Bank of England warned that rate rises could come later this year amid energy-price uncertainty driven by Middle East tensions, with a worst‑case scenario suggesting up to six rate increases; about seven million homeowners with fixed-rate mortgages may see roughly £80 added to monthly payments when their deals end over the next three years; energy bills are projected to climb toward about £1,900 this summer but won’t peak as high as in 2022, and many on fixed tariffs are protected until contracts expire; lower‑income households face the sharpest impact as inflation and food prices rise; unemployment could rise as demand weakens and hiring slows, though wage effects depend on future settlements.