Just as in many other countries, the housing market in the UK grew substantially during the coronavirus pandemic, fueled by robust demand and low borrowing costs. Nevertheless, high inflation and the increase in mortgage rates has led to house price growth slowing down. According to the forecast, 2024 is expected to see house prices decrease by three percent. Between 2024 and 2028, the average house price growth is projected at 2.7 percent. A contraction after a period of continuous growth In June 2022, the UK's house price index exceeded 150 index points, meaning that since 2015 which was the base year for the index, house prices had increased by 50 percent. In just two years, between 2020 and 2022, the index surged by 30 index points. As the market stood in December 2023, the average price for a home stood at approximately 284,691 British pounds. Rents are expected to continue to grow According to another forecast, the prime residential market is also expected to see rental prices grow in the next years. Growth is forecast to be stronger in 2024 and slow down in the period between 2025 and 2028. The rental market in London is expected to follow a similar trend, with Central London slightly outperforming Greater London.

House prices in the UK rose dramatically during the coronavirus pandemic, with growth slowing down in 2022 and turning negative in 2023. The year-on-year annual house price change peaked at 14 percent in July 2022. In June 2024, house prices increased by 2.7 percent. According to the Nationwide Building Society, the average house price exceeded 265,000 British pounds in 2022. Correction in housing prices: a European phenomenon The trend of a growing residential real estate market was not exclusive to the UK during the pandemic. Likewise, many European countries experienced falling prices in 2023. When comparing residential property RHPI (price index in real terms, e.g. corrected for inflation), countries such as Germany, France, Italy, and Spain also saw prices decline. Sweden, one of the countries with the fastest growing residential markets, saw one of the largest declines in prices. How has demand for UK housing changed since the outbreak of the coronavirus? The easing of the lockdown was followed by a dramatic increase in home sales. In November 2020, the number of mortgage approvals reached an all-time high of over 107,000. One of the reasons for the housing boom were the low mortgage rates, allowing home buyers to take out a loan with an interest rate as low as 2.5 percent. That changed as the Bank of England started to raise the base lending rate, resulting in higher borrowing costs and a decline in homebuyer sentiment.

The statistic displays a five year forecast for house price growth in the United Kingdom (UK) from 2020 to 2024, revised with the coronavirus (covid-19) impact on the market. According to the forecast, 2020 and 2021 will likely see a slower to no increase in house prices followed by a gradual recovery between 2022 and 2024. North West, North East, Yorkshire & the Humber, and Scotland prices are forecast to bounce back quicker than other UK regions with higher five year price increase.

United Kingdom House Price Index: UK data was reported at 539.604 1Q1993=100 in Feb 2025. This records an increase from the previous number of 535.056 1Q1993=100 for Jan 2025. United Kingdom House Price Index: UK data is updated monthly, averaging 324.070 1Q1993=100 from Jan 1991 (Median) to Feb 2025, with 410 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 546.103 1Q1993=100 in Aug 2022 and a record low of 98.950 1Q1993=100 in Nov 1992. United Kingdom House Price Index: UK data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Nationwide. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United Kingdom – Table UK.EB027: House Price Index: First Quarter of 1993=100: Nationwide. [COVID-19-IMPACT]

House prices vary widely in the United Kingdom (UK), but housing in certain cities and counties is substantially pricier than in others. Surrey, for example, concentrated four of the most expensive towns to buy a home, including Virginia Water, Cobham, and Esher. With an average house price of over one million British pounds as of June 2024, housing in these towns cost roughly four times the national average. How did house prices change since the COVID-19 pandemic? Since the start of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, demand for housing has been especially high, causing house prices to soar. Among major UK cities, the house price increase was most prominent in Belfast, where it rose by 5.5 percent in 2024. According to the UK House Price Index, the average annual house price increase on a national level was even higher. How long does it take to sell a house? With the demand for housing going strong and inventory running low, aspiring homeowners need to act faster than ever when making an offer on a home. The average number of days on market has continued shortening since the start of 2021 and was a little over a month as of October 2021. Surprisingly, selling a property took the longest in the UK’s most competitive market - London.

European Union House Price Index: EU 27 excl UK data was reported at 154.440 2015=100 in Sep 2024. This records an increase from the previous number of 152.250 2015=100 for Jun 2024. European Union House Price Index: EU 27 excl UK data is updated quarterly, averaging 102.150 2015=100 from Mar 2005 (Median) to Sep 2024, with 79 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 154.440 2015=100 in Sep 2024 and a record low of 83.540 2015=100 in Mar 2005. European Union House Price Index: EU 27 excl UK data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Eurostat. The data is categorized under Global Database’s European Union – Table EU.EB001: Eurostat: House Price Index: 2015=100. [COVID-19-IMPACT]

The average agreed rent for new tenancies in the UK ranged from 665 British pounds to 2,100 British pounds, depending on the region. On average, renters outside of London paid 1,095 British pounds, whereas in London, this figure amounted to 2,025 British pounds. Rents have been on the rise for many years, but the period after the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated this trend. Since 2015, the average rent in the UK increased by about 25 percent, with about half of that gain achieved in the period after the pandemic. Why have UK rents increased so much? One of the main reasons driving up rental prices is the declining affordability of homeownership. Historically, house prices grew faster than rents, making renting more financially feasible than buying. In 2022, when the house price to rent ratio index peaked, house prices had outgrown rents by nearly 30 percent since 2015. As house prices peaked in 2022, home buying slowed, exacerbating demand for rental properties and leading to soaring rental prices. How expensive is too expensive? Although there is no official requirement about the proportion of income spent on rent for it to be considered affordable, a popular rule is that rent should not exceed more than 30 percent of income. In 2024, most renters in the UK exceeded that threshold, with the southern regions significantly more likely to spend upward of 30 percent of their income on rent. Rental affordability has sparked a move away from the capital to other regions in the UK, such as the South East (Brighton and Southampton), the West Midlands (Birmingham) and the North West (Liverpool, Manchester, Blackpool and Preston).

Renters in the UK spent on average 32.5 percent of their income on rent as of January 2025. Scotland and Yorkshire and Humber were the most affordable regions, with households spending less than 28 percent of their gross income on rent. Conversely, London, South West, and South East had a higher ratio. Greater London is the most expensive region for renters Greater London has a considerably higher rent than the rest of the UK regions. In 2024, the average rental cost in Greater London was more than twice higher than in the North West or West Midlands. Compared with Greater London, rent in the South East region was about 600 British pounds cheaper. London property prices continue to increase In recent years, house prices in the UK have been steadily increasing, and the period after the COVID-19 pandemic has been no exception. Prime residential property prices in Central London are forecast to continue rising until 2027. A similar trend in prime property prices is also expected in Outer London.

To contain the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19), on March 23, 2020, a number of restrictions were implemented in the United Kingdom (UK). The population was urged to stay and work from home. Many retailers deemed non-essential had to temporarily suspend their operations. The disruption of activity is a serious threat to the survival of businesses in the retail sector and thus, could have a knock-on effect on the commercial real estate sector. A little over 27 percent of retail and leisure market units were eligible to remain open. Out-of-town retail and leisure units remaining open were almost one third of all units in the respective market and over 60 percent of the real estate area in the respective market.

Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.The Opinions and Lifestyle Survey (formerly known as the ONS Opinions Survey or Omnibus) is an omnibus survey that began in 1990, collecting data on a range of subjects commissioned by both the ONS internally and external clients (limited to other government departments, charities, non-profit organisations and academia).Data are collected from one individual aged 16 or over, selected from each sampled private household. Personal data include data on the individual, their family, address, household, income and education, plus responses and opinions on a variety of subjects within commissioned modules. The questionnaire collects timely data for research and policy analysis evaluation on the social impacts of recent topics of national importance, such as the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and the cost of living, on individuals and households in Great Britain. From April 2018 to November 2019, the design of the OPN changed from face-to-face to a mixed-mode design (online first with telephone interviewing where necessary). Mixed-mode collection allows respondents to complete the survey more flexibly and provides a more cost-effective service for customers. In March 2020, the OPN was adapted to become a weekly survey used to collect data on the social impacts of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on the lives of people of Great Britain. These data are held in the Secure Access study, SN 8635, ONS Opinions and Lifestyle Survey, Covid-19 Module, 2020-2022: Secure Access. From August 2021, as coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions were lifting across Great Britain, the OPN moved to fortnightly data collection, sampling around 5,000 households in each survey wave to ensure the survey remains sustainable. The OPN has since expanded to include questions on other topics of national importance, such as health and the cost of living. For more information about the survey and its methodology, see the ONS OPN Quality and Methodology Information webpage.Secure Access Opinions and Lifestyle Survey dataOther Secure Access OPN data cover modules run at various points from 1997-2019, on Census religion (SN 8078), cervical cancer screening (SN 8080), contact after separation (SN 8089), contraception (SN 8095), disability (SNs 8680 and 8096), general lifestyle (SN 8092), illness and activity (SN 8094), and non-resident parental contact (SN 8093). See Opinions and Lifestyle Survey: Secure Access for details. Main Topics:Each month's questionnaire consists of two elements: core questions, covering demographic information, are asked each month together with non-core questions that vary from month to month. The non-core questions for this month were: Televisions (Module 177): this module was asked on behalf of the Department of National Heritage, to ascertain how many households have a television that did not work at the time and did not have another TV set that did work, and whether they intended to get the broken television set repaired in the next seven days after the interview took place. Local Authority Tenants (Module 186): this module was asked on behalf of the Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions (DETR), and only applied to those respondents renting from local authorities in England and Wales. It combines a repeat of the 'Tenant's Charter' module run in 1991/2 and 1992/3 with questions based on ones from the 1994 module 'Information for LA Tenants' and the Survey of English Housing. SEH Development Questions (Module 190): this module was asked of respondents who were council or Housing Association tenants and private renters, in England only. It was asked to assist the Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions (DETR) in the development of new questions for the Survey of English Housing. Second Homes (Module 4): this module was asked on behalf of the Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions (DETR). It has appeared in previous Omnibus surveys in a slightly different form. The module queried respondents on ownership of a second home by any member of the household and reasons for having the second home. Expectation of House Price Changes (Module 137): this module asks respondents' views on changes to house prices in the next year and next five years. Oral Health (Module 189): this module was asked on behalf of the Eastman Dental Institute of the University of London, in order to find out how respondents' oral health detracts from or adds to their quality of life. Smoking (Module 130): this module assesses people's smoking habits, past and present, attitudes to smoking in different scenarios, and awareness of cigarette advertising. Gas and Electricity Supply (Module 188): this module was asked on behalf of the University of Warwick, in order to find out what motivates domestic customers to switch to a different energy supplier. PEPs and TESSAs (Module 185): this module was asked on behalf of the Inland Revenue, to gain more information about the distribution of PEPs and TESSAs and in particular the extent to which the two groups overlap. Multi-stage stratified random sample Face-to-face interview 1997 1998 ADULTS ADVERTISING AGE ANXIETY ASTHMA ATTITUDES BASIC NEEDS BILLS CANCER CARDIOVASCULAR DISE... CAUSES OF DEATH CHILD BENEFITS CHILDREN CINEMA COHABITATION COLOUR TELEVISION R... COMPANIES COMPREHENSION COSTS COT DEATHS CULTURAL EVENTS Consumption and con... DENTAL DISEASES DENTAL TREATMENT DENTISTS DIABETES DISEASES ECONOMIC ACTIVITY ECONOMIC VALUE EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND ELECTRIC POWER SUPPLY EMPLOYEES EMPLOYMENT EMPLOYMENT HISTORY EMPLOYMENT PROGRAMMES ETHNIC GROUPS Economic conditions... FAMILY MEMBERS FINANCIAL SERVICES FULL TIME EMPLOYMENT FURNISHED ACCOMMODA... GAS SUPPLY GENDER GENERAL PRACTITIONERS GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS GRANTS General health and ... HEADS OF HOUSEHOLD HEALTH HEALTH ADVICE HEALTH PROFESSIONALS HEALTH SERVICES HEARING HOLIDAYS HOME OWNERSHIP HOME SELLING HOSPITAL SERVICES HOUSEHOLDS HOUSES HOUSING CONDITIONS HOUSING POLICY HOUSING TENURE HUMAN SETTLEMENT Health behaviour Housing INCOME INCOME TAX INDUSTRIES INFLATION INFORMATION INFORMATION MATERIALS INFORMATION SOURCES INHERITANCE INSURANCE INTEREST FINANCE INVESTMENT Income JOB HUNTING LANDLORDS LOCAL GOVERNMENT LOCAL GOVERNMENT SE... MANAGERS MARITAL STATUS MARRIAGE DISSOLUTION MASS MEDIA MORTGAGES MOTOR VEHICLES PARENTS PART TIME EMPLOYMENT PASSIVE SMOKING PAYMENTS PENSIONS PERFORMANCE PLACE OF RESIDENCE PRICES PRIVATE SECTOR PUBLIC HOUSES PUBLIC INFORMATION PUBLIC OPINION PUBLIC SERVICE BUIL... QUALITY OF LIFE RADIO RENTED ACCOMMODATION RENTS REPORTS RESIDENTIAL MOBILITY RESPIRATORY TRACT D... RESTAURANTS RETIREMENT RIGHTS AND PRIVILEGES SAVINGS SCHOOLS SECOND HOMES SELF EMPLOYED SHOPS SMOKING SMOKING CESSATION SMOKING RESTRICTIONS SOCIAL HOUSING SOCIAL SECURITY BEN... SPORTING EVENTS SPOUSES STANDARDS SUBSIDIES SUPERVISORS SYMPTOMS Social behaviour an... Social conditions a... TAXATION TEETH TELEPHONES TELEVISION RECEIVERS TIED HOUSING TOBACCO TRAVEL UNFURNISHED ACCOMMO... UNWAGED WORKERS VOCATIONAL EDUCATIO... WAGES WORKPLACE property and invest...

Key information about United Kingdom Gold Production

• United Kingdom Real Residential Property Price Index was reported at 113.827 2010=100 in Sep 2024.
• This records an increase from the previous number of 110.464 2010=100 for Jun 2024.
• UK Real Residential Property Price Index data is updated quarterly, averaging 54.208 2010=100 from Jun 1968 to Sep 2024, with 226 observations.
• The data reached an all-time high of 122.502 2010=100 in Sep 2022 and a record low of 21.864 2010=100 in Jun 1970.
• UK Real Residential Property Price Index data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Bank for International Settlements.
• The data is categorized under World Trend Plus’s Association: Property Sector – Table RK.BIS.RPPI: Selected Real Residential Property Price Index: 2010=100: Quarterly. [COVID-19-IMPACT]

Conditions in the residential and commercial property markets heavily impacts revenue for removal services. Demand is also influenced by customers' willingness to spend on the range of extras specialist removal companies offer. Brexit led to an uptick in corporate relocations, with many multinational companies seeking to move from London to other places in Europe, with Dublin being the most popular location. The COVID-19 pandemic had a mixed impact on removal service providers. It initially led to a standstill in the housing market, with people opting to wait until they had greater certainty over their financial situation before moving house. However, government policies post-pandemic stimulated the housing market, like the National Planning Policy Framework, significantly ramped up demand for home removals, helping to prevent a complete collapse in profit. In terms of corporate relocations, the pandemic was a tough time for businesses, with an average of 48 retail, dining and hospitality outlets going out of business each day in 2020, according to the Local Data Company. These companies and the ones that would eventually replace them required moving services, helping to boost revenue. Residential transactions fell in 2023-24 as high borrowing costs dissuaded people from buying houses and companies from relocating, although subsiding inflation and interest rate cuts in 2024-25 expanded residential transactions, limiting this revenue dip. Over the five years through 2024-25, revenue is forecast to contract at a compound annual rate of 1.4% to reach £1.2 billion, despite being expected to climb by 1.2% in 2024-25. Looking forward, the UK's housing shortage presents a ceiling to revenue associated with home moving. Pent-up consumer demand to move homes when economic headwinds subside presents an opportunity for expanded growth. Profit will be constrained by investment into electric fleets and establishing online platforms, although this will bring long-term benefits, including greater contract winning. Over the five years through 2029-30, revenue is forecast to grow at a compound annual rate of 2.1% to reach just under £1.4 billion.

After a very slow second quarter of 2020 due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the housing market in the United Kingdom (UK) experienced dramatic surge in home sales. In the first quarter of 2021, the residential property supply varied between 2.2 and 2.9 months of available stock for sale in different regions of the UK, and 3.8 months in Inner London. Considering the limited supply and the spike in demand, house prices have been on an upward trend.

Vienna, Luxembourg, and Hamburg were the markets with the lowest vacancy rates in Europe in the fourth quarter of 2024. Vacancy rates are a measurement of unoccupied properties during a given period and are a good indication of an area’s desirability and opportunity for development. High vacancy rates can indicate an economic downturn, a lack of demand, or possibly that standards do not meet speculative renters’ needs. Low vacancy rates are, in general, considered a good thing as it means there is a good level of demand from customers, although low vacancy rates may also show a need for more development which is not being met. Since the beginning of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, vacancy rates in the office sector have been on the rise because of declining occupiers' demand.
The major European office markets? London, Paris, and Stockholm were the most expensive markets for office real estate in Europe in 2023. In London, prime office space, which refers to a property of the highest quality, optimal location, and standard dimensions that are in accordance with the local demand, was able to fetch a staggering price of 2,069 euros per square meter. When it comes to total stock, Berlin ranked among the largest markets in Europe. Where is office space most profitable? According to 2024 forecast the UK is expected to see the most return on investment by 2025 and 2026 than Europe. Industry experts forecast that investment will have better prospects than development, and that central city offices will perform better than suburban offices.

The quarterly Nationwide house price index for all houses in the United Kingdom (UK) exceeded 14,000 index points in the third quarter of the year. Despite that being a dramatic increase since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, it stood below the price peak in the third quarter of 2022. The index shows the development of housing prices, with 1952 used as a baseline year. An index value of 14,102 implies a price increase of 14,000 percent between 1952 and 2024.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of house sales in the UK spiked, followed by a period of decline. In 2023, the housing market slowed notably, and in September 2024, transaction volumes fell below 50,000. House sales volumes are affected by a number of factors, including mortgage rates, house prices, supply, demand, as well as the overall health of the market. The economic uncertainty and rising unemployment rates has also affected the homebuyer sentiment of Brits. How have UK house prices developed over the past 10 years? House prices in the UK have increased year-on-year since 2015, except for a brief period of decline in the second half of 2023 and the beginning of 2024. That is based on the 12-month percentage change of the UK house price index. At the peak of the housing boom in 2022, prices soared by nearly 14 percent. The decline that followed was mild, at under three percent. The cooling in the market was more pronounced in England and Wales, where the average house price declined in 2023. Conversely, growth in Scotland and Northern Ireland continued. What is the impact of mortgage rates on house sales? For a long period, mortgage rates were at record-low, allowing prospective homebuyers to take out a 10-year loan at a mortgage rate of less than three percent. In the last quarter of 2021, this period came to an end as the Bank of England rose the bank lending rate to contain the spike in inflation. Naturally, the higher borrowing costs affected consumer sentiment, urging many homebuyers to place their plans on hold and leading to a drop in sales.

After declining slightly in the third quarter of 2023, the value of the Halifax standardized house price increased in the fourth quarter of the year. The average house price stood at approximately 287,000 British pounds in December, up from approximately 279,000 British pounds in September 2023. The correction is a result of the combination of the rising interest rates, dramatic house price increase since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, and the low housing inventory.

Portugal, Canada, and the United States were the countries with the highest house price to income ratio in 2023. In all three countries, the index exceeded 130 index points, while the average for all OECD countries stood at 117.5 index points. The index measures the development of housing affordability and is calculated by dividing nominal house price by nominal disposable income per head, with 2015 set as a base year when the index amounted to 100. An index value of 120, for example, would mean that house price growth has outpaced income growth by 20 percent since 2015. How have house prices worldwide changed since the COVID-19 pandemic? House prices started to rise gradually after the global financial crisis (2007–2008), but this trend accelerated with the pandemic. The countries with advanced economies, which usually have mature housing markets, experienced stronger growth than countries with emerging economies. Real house price growth (accounting for inflation) peaked in 2022 and has since lost some of the gain. Although, many countries experienced a decline in house prices, the global house price index shows that property prices in 2023 were still substantially higher than before COVID-19. Renting vs. buying In the past, house prices have grown faster than rents. However, the home affordability has been declining notably, with a direct impact on rental prices. As people struggle to buy a property of their own, they often turn to rental accommodation. This has resulted in a growing demand for rental apartments and soaring rental prices.

England accounts for the majority of sales in the residential real estate market in the United Kingdom. In September 2024, the total number of housing transactions in the country amounted to nearly 92,000, with approximately 80,000 of these property sales being completed in England. Historically, sales activity has observed notable fluctuations because of the seasonal nature of the market, but also other trends in the market, such as the slump in April 2020 related to the COVID-19 pandemic A declining number of home sales The annual number of home sales in the UK has declined since 2021, with 2023 exhibiting the lowest transaction volume since 2012. The main reason for that trend is the increase in the cost of housing. House prices grew year-on-year between 2012 and 2022, with growth accelerating toward the end of the period due to the record-low mortgage rates. As the cost of living crisis hit in 2022, the Bank of England hiked interest rates, resulting in dramatically higher home finance costs. With house prices at their peak and a double increase in borrowing costs, many prospective homebuyers could not afford to buy and placed their plans on hold. How will prices develop in the next five years? After a slight decline in 2024, house prices in the UK are expected to pick up in the next year and continue on an upward trend until 2028. On average, house prices are projected to grow by 2.7 percent per year.

Gross fixed capital formation for housing decreased significantly in several European countries in early 2020 but followed with a drop in the second quarter of the year with the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. This translated into a halt of residential property investments. In countries like the United Kingdom (UK), Ireland, France, Spain, Italy, and Luxembourg the year-on-year percentage decrease was between 25 and 40 percent. Тhis was not the case with several countries that kept housing investment growing on an year-on-year basis in 2020: Greece, Hungary, Sweden, Denmark, and Czechia.

More in-depth data can be found in the report on the coronavirus impacting house prices in Europe in 2020 and 2021.