TheBankofEnglandhaskeptinterestratesonholdinitsfirstmeetingsincelastmonth'sdecisiontoraiseratesforthefirsttimein10years.MembersoftheMonetaryPolicyCommittee(MPC)votedunanimouslytokeepinterestratesat0.5%.AtitsNovembermeetingtheMPCraisedratesfromtherecordlowof0.25%,citingrecord-lowunemployment,risinginflationandstrongerglobalgrowth.Italsoindicatedtherewouldbetwomorerisesoverthenextthreeyears.Intheminutesfromitslatestmeeting,theBanksaid"modest"increasesininterestrateswouldbeneededoverthenextfewyears,butrepeatedpreviouspromisesthatthoseriseswouldbe"gradualandtoalimitedextent".Higherinterestrateshaveabigimpactontheeconomy.Ofthe8.1millionhouseholdswithamortgage,3.7million-or46%-areoneitherastandardvariablerateoratrackerrate-whichusuallymoveinlinewiththeofficialbankrate.AmovehighercanalsogivesaversaliftasHighStreetbanksgenerallyhavetoraisetheirratesofinterest.