Welcome to Debt Matters, the UK podcast where we turn the week’s biggest economic headlines into practical moves for credit control and debt recovery. The Bank of England is expected to keep interest rates on hold, and that “wait and see” stance matters more for late payments than most people realise.

What happened

The Bank of England is expected to keep the Bank Rate at 3.75% at its February meeting. Markets are largely pricing the next cut in Q2 2026. Inflation was 3.4% in December, and policymakers want more proof inflation is heading back toward the 2% target, with attention on pay growth and the labour market.

Why this matters for collections

When rates stay higher for longer, 3 things tend to show up fast in B2B payments:

1. Debtors prioritise survival spend over trade credit. Borrowing costs stay ...