AVERAGE UK house prices increased by 3.8%, to £270,000, in the 12 months to April 2026, up from 0.0% in the 12 months to March 2026, official data published today by the Land Registry showed.
This was the highest UK annual inflation rate since March 2025 before Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) changes on 1 April 2025 and was up from the revised estimate of 0.0% in the 12 months to March 2026.
The annual rate increased because average UK house prices experienced a modest monthly rise (0.7%) between March and April 2026, while there was a large monthly fall (-2.9%) in the same period a year ago.
The ONS said the large monthly fall in average UK house prices in April 2025 coincided with changes to Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) in England and Northern Ireland on 1 April 2025. A rise in the annual rate due to a large monthly fall a year ago is called a ‘base effect’, it added.
Average house prices increased to £291,000 (3.9%) in England, £212,000 (3.5%) in Wales, and £192,000 (2.8%) in Scotland, in the 12 months to April 2026.
Meanwhile, average UK monthly private rent inflation continued to slow, increasing by 3.3%, to £1,383, in the 12 months to May 2026, down from 3.5% in the 12 months to April 2026.
Average rents increased to £1,442 (3.4%) in England, £836 (4.7%) in Wales, and £1,009 (1.0%) in Scotland, in the 12 months to May 2026.
In Northern Ireland, average rents increased to £876 (3.3%) in the 12 months to March 2026.
In England, private rent annual inflation was highest in the North East (5.9%), and lowest in London (2.0%), in the 12 months to May 2026.
Aimee North, Head of Housing Market Indices, ONS, said: “Average UK house price annual inflation rose sharply in April. This month’s rise in the annual rate was partly due to figures being compared with an unusually large fall in house prices a year earlier, following the stamp duty changes across much of the country in April 2025.
“All English regions saw an increase in their annual rates this month except London, where the rate was unchanged. London remains the region with the lowest annual inflation.
“The rental market continues to cool, with UK rents inflation slowing to its lowest annual rate since March 2022. All UK countries saw a slowdown with Scotland seeing the biggest drop.”
Stamp duty
Tracey Dixon, Buy-to-Let Mortgage Specialist and Owner at Cardiff-based Pure Mortgage and Protection, said the data needs to be put into context.
She continued: “The headline figure of 3.8% annual house price growth looks strong, but much of the increase is due to comparisons with the sharp fall in prices seen after the April 2025 stamp duty changes.
“While lower mortgage rates have helped improve confidence, affordability remains a challenge for many buyers. Higher house prices can quickly offset the benefit of lower borrowing costs, particularly for first-time buyers.
“The slowdown in rental inflation is also notable. Rents are still rising, but at a much slower pace than we have seen in recent years, which may encourage landlords to focus more on long-term portfolio planning rather than relying on rental growth alone.
“Overall, the market appears to be recovering steadily rather than booming, with affordability remaining the key factor.”
Cliff edge
David Stirling, Independent Financial Adviser at Belfast-based Mint Wealth, commented: “What today’s data really tells us is that the UK housing market remains deeply sensitive to political decisions made in Westminster. A single stamp duty deadline in April 2025 sent prices off a cliff.
“Now, twelve months on, we’re all marvelling at this recovery that is really just the market climbing back out of the hole the Treasury dug for it.
“It’s a bit like tripping over your own shoelace, getting back up, and announcing you’ve just completed a standing jump.”
Evren Ergin, Founder at proptech valuations firm, ValuQ, added: “The number is right. The story is not. Yes, the average is up 3.8% to £270,000, but the data itself shows most of that is a base effect: prices fell sharply last April after the stamp duty deadline, so this year flatters the comparison. Strip that out and a 0.7% monthly rise is a flat market, not a recovery.
“The deeper problem is the word ‘average’. Our analysis of three decades of Land Registry sales shows it hides almost everything that matters. Flats and houses move in opposite directions in the same town: prices of flats fell in 22 of 24 towns we studied and were down 17% in Manchester, but the price of houses rose in the same city.
“And nearly half of England’s homes have not sold since 2000, so the index tracks a thin slice of stock. A single national figure tells no individual seller what their own home is worth. The only number that counts is what local agents will actually put their name to for your specific property.”
Perfect storm
Meanwhile, Patricia Ogunfeibo, Founder at London-based tenant2owner, said “the ‘perfect storm’ window for first time buyers to get bargains not otherwise seen for decades now seems to be closing”.
She continued: “It was inevitable that prices would stabilise and then start to rise again once properties that landlords dumped onto the market had been mopped up.
“Rents on the other hand won’t go down for any tenant where the market strongly supports a rent rise, or whose landlord doesn’t seek a rise. These are unyielding facts.
“Savvy tenants have already made, or are making, a move. They are leveraging a soft market (but one that’s now firming), strong bargaining power and essential knowledge to assess and ensure the deal is a very good one.”
Regional picture
Nicky Stevenson, Managing Director at Fine & Country, said: “A rise of 3.8% in annual house price growth makes a strong headline, but it needs some context. This jump has been partly driven by a base effect, after prices fell sharply in April last year following stamp duty changes in England and Northern Ireland.
“The market is not suddenly racing ahead, but it is seeing healthy growth that is sustainable for buyers and sellers alike. Average house prices did rise between March and April, but by a more modest 0.7%, which points to a market that is improving steadily rather than overheating.
“Even so, the fact the average UK house price is now £270,000 and annual growth is back at its highest level since before last year’s stamp duty changes is encouraging. It shows there is still resilience in the market, even after months of buyers having to navigate affordability pressures, changing mortgage expectations and wider cost-of-living challenges.
“The regional picture remains important as ever. The North East recorded the strongest annual house price growth in England, while London continued to see prices fall year on year. Local demand is shaping very different outcomes across the country, so sellers should price to reflect that in their area.
“Looking ahead, the key question is whether this modest monthly growth can be sustained through the summer. While many Brits may put their househunting on pause for a summer holiday, this is also a time when buyers tend to be more motivated to get the keys to their new home before the colder months settle in.”
The house price data emerges on the same day that UK inflation held steady at 2.8%.
