Lisa Taylor from Moneyfacts.co.uk explained how it could especially effect those who have borrowed to the max and don’t have the comfort of a fixed rate mortgage.
She said: "Recent economic signs do not paint a very rosy picture for UK consumers, with rising bad debts, unemployment levels, unsecured debt levels at a all time high and prediction of a rate increase later in the year. You may think that consumers and lenders would be taking a more cautious approach.
"But in some instances this is not the case, Moneyfacts has seen that lenders are increasing income multiples, launching increasingly competitive products, and as a result, some consumers are taking the maximum levels of borrowing available to them as they consider it to be currently within their means.
"But what would happen if rates were to take an upward step?
"Many consumers are managing their personal finances by means of an intricate balancing act, with demands for their income pulling it in every which way. In the ‘live for today’ society, there are also the worries of funding future pension provision, as well as the financial headache caused by the much-publicised rising utility costs to consider.
"Assuming a current mortgage tracker rate of 4.5 per cent, a rise of just 2 per cent would increase the original payment on an average mortgage of £150,000 over 25 years by over 20 per cent.
"Assuming a combined salary of £50,000, this rise would relieve the consumer of a further 6 per cent of their annual disposable income – or to put it another way, almost £190 extra a month. Combine this with the rising utility costs, council tax, fuel and taxes, it would not be long before many more people could find themselves facing potential financial hardship."
