how often are interest rates reviewed

Interest rates are typically reviewed several times a year , but how often they actually change depends on the economy and on what kind of rate you’re asking about (central bank, mortgage, or your own loan).

How often are interest rates reviewed?

For major economies, it usually works like this:

Central banks (Fed, Bank of England, ECB, etc.)
- Hold scheduled policy meetings about 8 times a year , roughly every 6 weeks, where interest rates are formally reviewed.

* They can also hold **emergency meetings** in a crisis (financial shock, pandemic, sudden inflation spike) and review or change rates outside the usual timetable.

Examples from recent calendars
- The US Federal Reserve makes rate decisions at eight Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meetings a year.

* The **Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee** also reviews the base rate around **every six weeks** , i.e., about **8 times per year**.

So when people ask “how often are interest rates reviewed?”, the most accurate general answer is:

They are formally reviewed about eight times a year , but can be revisited more often if the economy forces a rethink.

How often do interest rates actually change?

Reviewed doesn’t always mean changed:

In some years, central banks leave rates unchanged at many consecutive meetings if inflation and growth are stable.

In more turbulent periods, they may raise or cut rates multiple meetings in a row to fight high inflation or support a weak economy.

A recent example: after a period of higher rates, the Fed began cutting its policy rate again as inflation cooled, but still only made decisions at its regular meeting schedule.

What about mortgage and personal loan rates?

There are two layers here: policy rates and what you actually pay.

Lender/market review frequency
- Lenders and markets track central bank moves continuously , and wholesale funding costs can change daily.
- Many mortgage brokers suggest borrowers review their own loan rate at least once a year to see if they can get a better deal.

How often you should review your own rate
- A common rule of thumb: do a personal rate review annually , or sooner if:
  - The central bank has just made a big move.
  - A fixed-rate period is ending.
  - Your financial situation has changed (income, debts, credit score).

In other words, the official base rate is reviewed roughly every six weeks, but your own mortgage or loan rate is worth checking at least once a year , and sometimes more often in volatile times.

Quick forum-style perspective

If you read homeowner and borrower forums, you’ll see people talk about:

“My broker does a rate review every 12 months to check if I’m still on a competitive deal.”

Others keep a closer watch when markets are jumpy and will ask their lender or broker for updates weekly or when there’s a “big move” in the news , rather than expecting constant notifications.

Mini HTML table: key points

html

<table>
  <thead>
    <tr>
      <th>Type of rate</th>
      <th>Who reviews it?</th>
      <th>Typical review frequency</th>
      <th>Does it change every review?</th>
    </tr>
  </thead>
  <tbody>
    <tr>
      <td>Central bank policy rate</td>
      <td>Fed, Bank of England, etc.</td>
      <td>About 8 meetings per year (every ~6 weeks)[web:3][web:7][web:9]</td>
      <td>No – changes only when conditions justify it[web:3][web:9]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Commercial bank / mortgage rates</td>
      <td>Banks and lenders</td>
      <td>Monitored continuously; may be adjusted after central bank moves or market shifts[web:3][web:5]</td>
      <td>Can change more often than central bank rate, especially in volatile markets[web:5]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Your personal loan/mortgage deal</td>
      <td>You & your lender/broker</td>
      <td>Good practice: review at least annually[web:5]</td>
      <td>Only changes if you refinance, re‑fix, or your variable rate is adjusted[web:5]</td>
    </tr>
  </tbody>
</table>

TL;DR

Central bank interest rates are reviewed roughly eight times a year at scheduled policy meetings, plus emergencies if needed.

They do not change at every review ; changes depend on inflation, employment, and growth data.

Your own mortgage/loan rate is worth reviewing at least once a year , and more frequently in times of rapid rate moves.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.

how often are interest rates reviewed