Stress rate
Last checked UK · illustrative onlyNot a lender or brokerAboutDisclaimer
RLPublished by Rodway Labs — not a mortgage adviser
Published
A higher interest rate a lender uses to test whether the mortgage payment still looks affordable if rates rise.
The stress rate is not the rate you pay at the start of a fix. Illustrations show the pay rate separately. Our affordability tool notes the idea. It does not copy a lender’s stress rule.
Failing a stress test is a reason a cheaper advertised remortgage rate can be unusable.
Definitions are plain English for this site, not the wording in your offer. Last checked 29 September 2026.
Related
Calculators and articles on Remortgage Lab are illustrative and not personalised financial advice. Always check current lender terms and, where appropriate, speak to an FCA-authorised adviser. England & Northern Ireland focus where tax rules are cited; Scotland and Wales differ.