A gauge of British household finances hit a one-year high in January, adding to signs that consumer sentiment has improved in the aftermath of Prime Minister Boris Johnson's decisive election win last month.

Asking prices for British houses put on sale in the five weeks to Jan. 11 rose by a record amount for the time of year, property website Rightmove said on Monday, adding to signs of a post-election bounce in consumer and business confidence.

Comprehensive motor insurance policy costs in Britain rose 5% on average in 2019, the steepest annual rise since 2017, an insurance price index released on Monday showed.

The Bank of England is likely to keep borrowing costs steady on Jan. 30, the eve of Britain's departure from the European Union, but there is a significant chance it will opt to trim Bank Rate following a slew of weak data, a Reuters poll found.

Britain's housing market got a boost from Prime Minister Boris Johnson's big election win in December, a survey showed on Thursday, a pick-up that will be noted by the Bank of England as it considers whether to cut interest rates this month.