Mortgage approvals in the UK decline to the lowest level recorded since December 2023, according to reports citing the latest data. Experts attribute the drop to weakening buyer demand as borrowing costs rise, with one cited factor being the impact of tensions linked to the Middle East (referred to as the “Middle War”) that contribute to higher costs of borrowing. The reports indicate that prospective buyers are increasingly discouraged by the combination of elevated mortgage rates and the resulting higher monthly repayments. While the articles focus on the approvals figure itself, they do not suggest any single change in government policy as the immediate driver. Instead, the emphasis is on market conditions affecting affordability. Overall, the coverage points to a cooling in mortgage activity, reflecting how higher interest rates and related financial pressures reduce the number of applications that progress to approval.