Published by Zeb BhamAny change in the interest rate in the UK is unlikely to come for some time, an expert has suggested.Andy Pratt, chief operating officer of mortgage firm Alexander Hall, said inflation remains a key factor in interest rate decisions.He noted that while officials from the Bank of England have said inflation is likely to naturally drop down over time, this needs to actually happen before interest rates fall.Without this happening, any base rate movement is unlikely to occur "for quite a long time", he said."We could be potentially into a situation of the record-low base rates that Japan had for a long time," he said.His comments follow research from Lloyds TSB which suggested that once the base rate does begin to increase, several rises are likely to be seen in a short period of time.The next rate decision is due to be announced at midday today (June 9th).For more information on international payments, visit our Smart FX site