The Clayton Hulme Partnership Limited

26/08/2026

🚨 Could Your Business Survive Without You or a Key Employee? 🚨

New research has revealed that many UK SMEs are leaving themselves exposed to significant financial risk:

📊 45% of SME owners have never sought advice on business protection.
📊 23% of businesses would struggle to continue trading for more than one month if they lost a key person.
📊 A further 39% could only survive for up to six months.
📊 1 in 10 businesses say they would cease trading immediately if the owner was unable to work due to illness or injury.

For many business owners, the company is their biggest asset, yet it's often the least protected.

Business Protection solutions can help safeguard:
✅ Business loans and liabilities
✅ Key employees and directors
✅ Shareholder ownership arrangements
✅ Family income and business continuity

The question isn't whether something unexpected will happen. It's whether your business would be financially prepared if it did.

If you're a business owner and haven't reviewed your protection arrangements recently, now could be a good time to start the conversation.

In my experience, many business owners insure their premises, vehicles and equipment, but overlook the very people who generate the profits.

📞 Get in touch as a short review can often identify simple ways to strengthen resilience around any current arrangements.



Source: Scottish Widows Business Protection Research 2026

24/08/2026

With a fast changing mortgage and property market being sensationalised by the main stream media for "clicks", are you getting completely bamboozled, puzzled, frustrated and unsure about what to do for the best in terms of your mortgage and thinking of moving house or staying put?

It's no wonder as this photo is the main body of an industry email received today which seems to report every possible positive and its negative happening at the same time.

With over 60 years combined experience in the industry, Chris and Zoe can pick their way through the media click bait frenzy and can give you a real world personalised steer on the options that could work for you.

Let us know in the comments what your questions are about the current market and we'll pick up on some of the key aspects for you.

30/07/2026

No surprise from the Bank of England today as the base rate remains at 3.75% for the fifth consecutive meeting.

The MPC cited ongoing economic uncertainty despite inflation falling to 2.6% in June.

Good news for borrowers seeking stability, although significant cuts to mortgage rates may not happen immediately...

The Monetary Policy Committee voted 6-3 to keep the interest rate at 3.75%.

Find out more: https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/monetary-policy/the-interest-rate-bank-rate

27/07/2026

We are a small team that’s puts everything we can into supporting our clients achieving their home owning dreams and helping them stay there no matter what life throws at them.🙌

We are blessed to work with the nicest clients we could wish for and it’s genuinely heartfelt when we receive gifts with notes such as this one 🙏

Thank you Andy, glad we got sorted for you. It’s always a pleasure to work with you 😊

23/07/2026

🏡 North West House Prices Continue to Lead the Way
The latest House Price Index from Nationwide shows that UK house prices were 2.2% higher than a year ago in June, with the North West once again leading growth across England.

While market activity has softened slightly due to wider economic uncertainty, there is still plenty of movement in the market for buyers, homeowners and those considering a remortgage.

If you're wondering:
✅ What your home might be worth
✅ Whether now is a good time to remortgage
✅ How much you could borrow for your next move
We're always happy to help.
📞 Get in touch with the team at The Clayton Hulme Partnership for straightforward, expert mortgage advice.

20/07/2026

What does today's political news mean for mortgage rates? Here's what homebuyers and homeowners need to know.

Today's speech from Prime Minister Andy Burnham has understandably prompted questions about what it could mean for mortgages and the housing market. While financial markets saw a small rise in government borrowing costs today, there hasn't been an immediate impact on mortgage rates. Fixed-rate mortgages are largely driven by swap rates, which continue to be influenced more by global economic events and inflation expectations than by today's political announcements alone.

Here's what we know so far:
10-year gilt yields rose by around 8 basis points, touching 5%, their highest level since May, as investors assessed the prospect of higher government spending under the new administration.

The rise appears to be driven by concerns over future fiscal policy, rather than anything specifically announced on housing or mortgages. Burnham also stressed that he would continue to adhere to fiscal rules, which helped reassure markets.

There has been no widespread repricing of mortgage products today directly linked to the speech. Most lenders had already increased fixed rates over the past week because swap rates had risen following geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, rather than UK politics.

What about swap rates?
There hasn't yet been evidence of a significant move in SONIA swap rates attributable solely to today's speech. Swap markets had already been pricing in higher funding costs before today, with recent increases driven mainly by rising oil prices, inflation expectations and global bond market volatility.

Our advice remains the same: if you're thinking about buying your first home, moving, remortgaging or investing, don't make decisions based on headlines. The mortgage market can change quickly, but the right mortgage depends on your individual circumstances rather than day-to-day news. We'll continue to monitor the market closely and keep our clients updated if anything changes that could affect borrowers.

14/07/2026

After a small break, the Mortgage Scientists return, Dave and Chris...

07/07/2026

After a short break from the podcast, mainly concentrating on a somewhat manic mortgage and property market, Chris and Dave have been back in the studio today recording the July podcast and planning the content for the next three episodes.

You can listen to our previous 9 episodes and subscribe at https://thepodstation.co.uk/podcasts/the-mortgage-scientists-2/ or your favourite podcast app.