The average UK house price has soared to £270,000, marking the highest annual inflation rate since March 2025, according to official data published today by the Land Registry. Prices increased by 3.8% in the 12 months to April 2026, up from a revised 0.0% in the 12 months to March 2026.
Regional breakdown
Average house prices rose to £291,000 (3.9%) in England, £212,000 (3.5%) in Wales, and £192,000 (2.8%) in Scotland over the same period. The annual rate increased due to a modest monthly rise of 0.7% between March and April 2026, compared with a large monthly fall of 2.9% in the same period a year earlier.
Base effect from stamp duty changes
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) noted that the large monthly fall in April 2025 coincided with changes to Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) in England and Northern Ireland on 1 April 2025. This 'base effect' contributed to the sharp rise in the annual inflation rate.
Rental market slowdown
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 April 2026. Average rents rose to £1,442 (3.4%) in England, £836 (4.7%) in Wales, and £1,009 (1.0%) in Scotland. 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 at 5.9% and lowest in London at 2.0%.
Expert commentary
Aimee North, Head of Housing Market Indices at the 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."
Tracey Dixon, Buy-to-Let Mortgage Specialist and Owner at Cardiff-based Pure Mortgage and Protection, commented: "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."
