The Halifax house price index, which was set at 100 in 1992, reached a value of more than 500 over the course of 2022. In December 2023, the index stood at 495.1, which was as slight increase from the same period in 2022. The average house price amounted to about 287,000 British pounds in December 2023. What drives house prices? Average house prices are affected by several factors: Economic growth, unemployment, interest rates and mortgage availability can all affect average prices. A shortage of supply means that the need for housing and, therefore competitive market created will push up house prices, whereas an excess of housing means prices fall to stimulate buyers. One of the main reasons for the decrease in house prices in the second half of 2022 was interest rates rising as a response to inflation. How many house sales occur per year? In the United Kingdom (UK), there are approximately one million residential property transactions annually. On a country level, England constitutes the majority of transactions made.

Housing Index in the United Kingdom increased to 517.10 points in October from 514.20 points in September of 2025. This dataset provides - United Kingdom House Price Index - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

The 10 largest mortgage lenders in the United Kingdom accounted for approximately 83 percent of the total market, with the top three alone accounting for 48 percent in 2024. Lloyds Banking Group had the largest market share of gross mortgage lending, with nearly 47 billion British pounds in lending in 2024. HSBC, which is the largest UK bank by total assets, ranked fifth. Development of the mortgage market In 2024, the value of outstanding in mortgage lending to individuals amounted to 1.6 trillion British pounds. Although this figure has continuously increased in the past, the UK mortgage market declined dramatically in 2024, registering the lowest value of mortgage lending since 2015. In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic caused the market to contract for the first time since 2012. The next two years saw mortgage lending soar due to pent-up demand, but as interest rates soared, the housing market cooled, leading to a decrease in new loans of about 100 billion British pounds. The end of low interest rates In 2021, mortgage rates saw some of their lowest levels since recording began by the Bank of England. For a long time, this was particularly good news for first-time homebuyers and those remortgaging their property. Nevertheless, due to the rising inflation, mortgage rates started to rise in the second half of the year, resulting in the 10-year rate doubling in 2022.