In 2022, house price growth in the UK slowed, after a period of decade-long increase. Nevertheless, in August 2024, prices reached a new peak, with the average home costing close to 290,000 British pounds. That figure refers to all property types, including detached, semi-detached, terraced houses, and flats and maisonettes. Compared to other European countries, the UK had some of the highest house prices. How have UK house prices increased over the last 10 years? Property prices have risen dramatically over the past decade. According to the UK house price index, the average house price has grown by over 50 percent since 2015. This price development has led to the gap between the cost of buying and renting a property to close. In 2023, buying a three-bedroom house in the UK was no longer more affordable than renting one. Consequently, Brits have become more likely to rent longer and push off making a house purchase until they have saved up enough for a down payment and achieved the financial stability required to make the step. What caused the decline in house prices in 2022? House prices are affected by multiple factors, such as mortgage rates, supply, and demand on the market. For nearly a decade, the UK experienced uninterrupted house price growth as a result of strong demand and a chronic undersupply. Homebuyers who purchased a property at the peak of the housing boom in July 2022 paid 14 percent more compared to what they would have paid a year before. Additionally, 2022 saw the most dramatic increase in mortgage rates in recent history. Between December 2021 and December 2022, the 10-year fixed mortgage rate doubled, adding further strain to prospective homebuyers. As a result, the market cooled, leading to a correction in pricing.

Median price paid for residential property in England and Wales, by property type and administrative geographies. Annual data.

Mean price paid for residential property in England and Wales, by property type and electoral ward. Annual data.

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. Location, location, location In December 2023, the average house price in England was more expensive than in any other country. This huge disparity in average house prices is in no small part down to the country's capital city, where the average asking price was more than double that of the UK’s average. Even in London, for those who can afford a mortgage, the savings made through buying over renting can be beneficial. House prices still set to grow In 2024, the number of housing transactions in the UK is set to fall to 1.1 million. With the expected decline in transactions, the average house price is also set to stagnate across the UK.

After soaring for three years, house price in England declined in 2023. In London, the most expensive regional market, the average house price fell to 508,000 British pounds in December 2023, down from 529,000 British pounds a year ago. According to the UK regional house price index, the North West saw the highest price increase since 2015.

Median price paid for residential property in England and Wales, by property type and Middle layer Super Output Area (MSOA). Quarterly rolling annual data. Formerly HPSSA dataset 2.

Terraced houses were the most affordable type of housing in England and Wales in 2023. Buying a terraced house cost approximately 281,000 British pounds - almost half of the average price of a detached house. House prices have risen steadily since 1986, with growth accelerating between 2019 and 2022. In just 10 years, home prices have more than doubled. Overall, newly built housing was more affordable than existing housing in the UK in 2023.

The UK housing market continued to show significant regional variations in 2024, with London maintaining its position as the most expensive city for homebuyers. The average house price in the capital stood at 519,579 British pounds in October, nearly double the national average of 292,059 British pounds. However, the market dynamics are shifting, with London experiencing only a modest 0.2 percent annual increase, while other cities like Newcastle upon Tyne and Belfast saw more substantial growth of 8.8 percent and 6.8 percent respectively. Affordability challenges and market slowdown Despite the continued price growth in many cities, the UK housing market is facing headwinds. The affordability of mortgage repayments has become the biggest barrier to property purchases, with the majority of the respondents in a recent survey citing it as their main challenge. Moreover, a rising share of Brits have reported affordability as a challenge since 2021, reflecting the impact of rising house prices and higher mortgage rates. The market slowdown is evident in the declining housing transaction volumes, which have plummeted since 2021. European context The stark price differences are mirrored in the broader European context. While London boasts some of the highest property prices among European cities, a comparison of the average transaction price for new homes in different European countries shows a different picture. In 2023, the highest prices were found in Austria, Germany, and France.

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.

The UK regions that observed the highest house price growth as of June 2024 were North Ireland and North West, where the HPI measured over 160 index points. The house price index (HPI) is an easy way of illustrating trends in the house sales market. By using hedonic regression, the index models property price data for all dwellings and shows how much the price has changed since January 2015. An index value of 160 index points indicates a price increase of 60 percent since 2015.

United Kingdom Average House Prices: England: North West data was reported at 168,261.000 GBP in May 2020. This records an increase from the previous number of 167,685.000 GBP for Apr 2020. United Kingdom Average House Prices: England: North West data is updated monthly, averaging 137,256.000 GBP from Jan 2005 (Median) to May 2020, with 185 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 168,261.000 GBP in May 2020 and a record low of 117,630.000 GBP in Feb 2005. United Kingdom Average House Prices: England: North West data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by HM Land Registry. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United Kingdom – Table UK.EB016: Average House Prices: HM Land Registry.

The Nationwide average UK house price increased during the period under observation, reaching a value of over 265,000 British pounds as of the fourth quarter of 2022. The final quarter of 2022 saw the first quarterly decrease, after a three-year period of significant house price growth. The smallest house price for all houses in the UK during this period was found in the first quarter of 2011, when an average house price of approximately 162,400 British pounds was recorded.

Median price paid for new residential property in England and Wales, by property type and subnational geographies. Annual data.

Affordability ratios calculated by dividing house prices for newly-built dwellings, by gross annual residence-based earnings. Based on the median and lower quartiles of both house prices and earnings in England and Wales.

The average house price in England started to increase in the first half of 2024, after falling by over three percent year-on-year in December 2023. In June 2024, the house price index amounted to 149.7 index points, suggesting an increase in house prices of 2.4 percent since the same month in 2023 and a roughly 50 percent rise since 2015 - the baseline year for the index. Among the different regions in the UK, West and East Midlands experienced the strongest growth.

Key information about House Prices Growth

• EU house prices grew 3.8% YoY in Sep 2024, following an increase of 3.0% YoY in the previous quarter.
• YoY growth data is updated quarterly, available from Mar 2006 to Sep 2024, with an average growth rate of 3.6%.
• House price data reached an all-time high of 11.2% in Dec 2006 and a record low of -4.8% in Jun 2009.

Summary statistics for housing transactions by local authority in England and Wales, on an annual basis, updated quarterly using HM Land Registry Price Paid Data. Select values from the Year and Month dimensions for data for a 12-month period ending that month and year (e.g. selecting June and 2018 will return the twelve months to June 2018).

The simple average house price in the UK was higher for existing dwellings than for newly built ones in 2023. In that year, the average price for new housing amounted to 326,000 British pounds, while for existing housing, the price was 331,000 British pounds. Prices also varied for different types of property, with flats or maisonettes in converted houses being the most affordable.