In its eagerly anticipated decision on interest rates, the Bank of England's rate-setting monetary policy committee (MPC) unanimously voted to leave rates at 0.5%.

Intended as the start of a new era for Theresa May's government, the Prime Minister's hopes of reasserting her authority largely fell flat. Despite the fairly negative reaction however, the latest round of cabinet moves represented a positive step for housing.

With issues from alcohol duty to growth forecasts under the microscope, the Autumn Budget included significant announcements on a diverse set of issues. Despite these concerns, attention was focused squarely on the Government?s housing proposals.

In an attempt to help first time buyers and boost home ownership, numerous policy changes since 2015 have made it clear that the government is targeting the buy-to-let market and the purchase of second homes.

The recent rise in the Bank of England?s base rate from 0.25% to 0.5% had been widely predicted. Some lenders had already raised their rates before the announcement, and others swiftly followed suit.