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 *********** British pounds as of June 2024, housing in these towns cost roughly **** 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 *** 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.

The gross domestic product per capita of London was ****** British pounds in 2023, far larger than that of other major cities in England, such as Manchester which had a GDP per capita of ****** pounds.

This GLA Intelligence Update takes a brief look at evidence around the wealth gap in London and examines how this has changed in recent years. Key Findings There is a significant gap between the rich and poor in London, both in terms of their wealth and their income. A higher proportion of the wealthiest households are in the South East of England than in London. Pension wealth accounts for more than half the wealth of the richest ten per cent of the population. In London, the tenth of the population with the highest income have weekly income after housing costs of over £1,000 while people in the lowest tenth have under £94 per week. The gap between rich and poor is growing, with the difference between the average income for the second highest tenth and second lowest tenth growing around 14 per cent more than inflation since 2003.

In 2023, the gross domestic product per capita in London was 63,618 British pounds, compared with 37,135 pounds per capita for the United Kingdom as a whole. Apart from London, the only other region of the UK that had a greater GDP per capita than the UK average was South East England, at 38,004 pounds per capita. By contrast, North East England had the lowest GDP per capita among UK regions, at 26,347 pounds. Regional imbalance in the UK economy? London's overall GDP in 2022 was over 508 billion British pounds, which accounted for almost a quarter of the overall GDP of the United Kingdom. South East England had the second-largest regional economy in the country, with a GDP of almost 341.7 billion British pounds. Furthermore, these two regions were the only ones that had higher levels of productivity (as measured by output per hour worked) than the UK average. While recent governments have recognized regional inequality as a major challenge facing the country, it may take several years for any initiatives to bear fruit. The creation of regional metro mayors across England is one of the earliest attempts at giving regions and cities in particular more power over spending in their regions than they currently have. UK economy growth slow in late 2024 After ending 2023 with two quarters of negative growth, the UK economy grew at the reasonable rate of 0.8 percent and 0.4 percent in the first and second quarters of the year. This was, however, followed by zero growth in the third quarter, and by just 0.1 percent in the last quarter of the year. Other economic indicators, such as the inflation rate, fell within the expected range in 2024, but have started to rise again, with a rate of three percent recorded in January 2025. While unemployment has witnessed a slight uptick since 2022, it is still at quite low levels compared with previous years.

In 2023, London had a gross domestic product of over 569 billion British pounds, by far the most of any region of the United Kingdom. The region of South East England which surrounds London had the second-highest GDP in this year, at over 360 billion pounds. North West England, which includes the major cities of Manchester and Liverpool, had the third-largest GDP among UK regions, at almost 250 billion pounds. Levelling Up the UK London’s economic dominance of the UK can clearly be seen when compared to the other regions of the country. In terms of GDP per capita, the gap between London and the rest of the country is striking, standing at over 63,600 pounds per person in the UK capital, compared with just over 37,100 pounds in the rest of the country. To address the economic imbalance, successive UK governments have tried to implement "levelling-up policies", which aim to boost investment and productivity in neglected areas of the country. The success of these programs going forward may depend on their scale, as it will likely take high levels of investment to reverse economic neglect regions have faced in the recent past. Overall UK GDP The gross domestic product for the whole of the United Kingdom amounted to 2.56 trillion British pounds in 2024. During this year, GDP grew by 0.9 percent, following a growth rate of 0.4 percent in 2023. Due to the overall population of the UK growing faster than the economy, however, GDP per capita in the UK fell in both 2023 and 2024. Nevertheless, the UK remains one of the world’s biggest economies, with just five countries (the United States, China, Japan, Germany, and India) having larger economies. It is it likely that several other countries will overtake the UK economy in the coming years, with Indonesia, Brazil, Russia, and Mexico all expected to have larger economies than Britain by 2050.

At the turn of the twentieth century, the wealthiest one percent of people in the United Kingdom controlled 71 percent of net personal wealth, while the top ten percent controlled 93 percent. The share of wealth controlled by the rich in the United Kingdom fell throughout the twentieth century, and by 1990 the richest one percent controlled 16 percent of wealth, and the richest ten percent just over half of it.

FOCUSONLONDON2011:POVERTY:THEHIDDENCITY One of the defining features of London is that it is a city of contrasts. Although it is considered one of the richest cities in the world, over a million Londoners are living in relative poverty, even before the additional costs of living in the capital are considered. This edition of Focus on London, authored by Rachel Leeser, presents a detailed analysis of poverty in London that reveals the scale and distribution of poverty in the capital. CHARTS: The motion chart shows the relationship between child poverty and worklessness at borough level, and shows how these two measures have changed since 2006. It reveals a significant reduction in workless households in Hackney (down 12 per cent), and to a lesser extent in Brent (down 7 per cent). The bar chart shows child poverty rates and the change in child poverty since 2006. It reveals that while Tower Hamlets has the highest rate of child poverty, it also has one of the fastest falling rates (down 12 per cent), though Haringey had the biggest fall (15 per cent). DATA: All the data contained within the Poverty: The Hidden City report as well as the data used to create the charts and maps can be accessed in the spreadsheet. FACTS: Some interesting facts from the data… ● Highest proportion of children in workless households, by borough, 2010 Westminster – 35.6% Barking and Dagenham – 33.6% Lewisham – 33.1% Newham – 31.4% Islington – 30.6% -31. Barnet – 9.1% -32. Richmond upon Thames – 7.0% ● Changes in proportions of workless households, 2006-09, by borough Hackney – down 12.3% Brent – down 7.3% Tower Hamlets – down 4.8% Lambeth – down 4.2% Hillingdon – down 4.1% -31. Enfield – up 5.8% -32. Bexley – up 7.3% ● Highest reduction in rates of child poverty 2006-09, by borough: Haringey – down 15.0% Newham – down 12.9% Hackney – down 12.8% Tower Hamlets – down 12.1% Southwark – down 11.5% -31. Bexley – up 6.0% -32. Havering – up 10.3%

United Kingdom UK: Bank Account Ownership at a Financial Institution or with a Mobile-Money-Service Provider, Richest 60%: % of Population Aged 15+ data was reported at 97.620 % in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 99.490 % for 2014. United Kingdom UK: Bank Account Ownership at a Financial Institution or with a Mobile-Money-Service Provider, Richest 60%: % of Population Aged 15+ data is updated yearly, averaging 97.620 % from Dec 2011 (Median) to 2017, with 3 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 99.490 % in 2014 and a record low of 97.599 % in 2011. United Kingdom UK: Bank Account Ownership at a Financial Institution or with a Mobile-Money-Service Provider, Richest 60%: % of Population Aged 15+ data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United Kingdom – Table UK.World Bank.WDI: Bank Account Ownership. Account denotes the percentage of respondents who report having an account (by themselves or together with someone else) at a bank or another type of financial institution or report personally using a mobile money service in the past 12 months (richest 60%, share of population ages 15+).; ; Demirguc-Kunt et al., 2018, Global Financial Inclusion Database, World Bank.; Weighted average; Each economy is classified based on the classification of World Bank Group's fiscal year 2018 (July 1, 2017-June 30, 2018).

House prices in England have increased notably in the last 10 years, despite a slight decline in 2023. In December 2024, London retained its position as the most expensive regional market, with the average house price at ******* British pounds. According to the UK regional house price index, Northern Ireland saw the highest increase in house prices since 2023.

The average house price for first-time homebuyers in the United Kingdom (UK) was ******* British pounds in 2024, up from ******* British pounds the year before. All regions experienced an increase in 2024, with prices rising the most in Northern Ireland and the West Midlands. The South East and London were the most expensive regions to buy a home, with the average house prices at ******* British pounds and ******* British pounds, respectively.

The UK housing market continued to show significant regional variations in 2025, with London maintaining its position as the most expensive city for homebuyers. The average house price in the capital stood at ******* British pounds in February, nearly double the national average. However, the market dynamics are shifting, with London experiencing only a modest *** percent annual increase, while other cities like Belfast and Liverpool saw more substantial growth of over **** 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.

London was the most expensive city for a pint of beer in the United Kingdom in 2021, where a pint of beer at a pub cost on average **** British pounds in 2021. Edinburgh and Birmingham came in second and third place, where a pub beer cost on average **** pounds.

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.

As of 2025, the GDP per capita or gross domestic product per person was almost ****** U.S. dollars per person. The GDP per capita is derived from the country's total GDP divided by the population. The average or mean wealth per person in the United Kingdom (UK) was higher than the median or middle value of wealth per person living in the UK.

In 2023, there were estimated to be approximately ***** dollar millionaires among the adult population of the United Kingdom (UK), compared to ***** in the previous year.

The borough with the highest property prices in London, Kensington and Chelsea, had an average price for a flat exceeding *** million British pounds. London is the most populous metropolitan area in the UK, and living in it comes with a price tag. Unsurprisingly, the most expensive boroughs in terms of real estate prices are located in the heart of the metropolis: Kensington and Chelsea, the City of Westminster, and the City of London. In Kensington and Chelsea, home to several museums such as the Natural History Museum, the Victoria and Albert Museum, and the Science Museum, as well as galleries and theaters, the average price of apartments was over a million British pounds. How have residential property prices developed in recent years? The average house price in England have risen notably over the past decade, despite a slight decline in 2023. While London continues to be the hottest market in the UK, price growth in the capital has moderated. Conversely, prices in the more affordable cities, such as Belfast and Liverpool, have started to rise at a faster pace. Are residential property prices in London expected to grow in the future? Despite property prices declining in 2024, the market is forecast to continue to grow in the next five years, according to a October 2024 forecast. Some of the reasons for this are the robust demand for housing, the chronic shortage of residential properties, and the anticipated decline in mortgage interest rates.

The city of Paris in France had an estimated gross domestic product of 757.6 billion Euros in 2021, the most of any European city. Paris was followed by the spanish capital, Madrid, which had a GDP of 237.5 billion Euros, and the Irish capital, Dublin at 230 billion Euros. Milan, in the prosperous north of Italy, had a GDP of 228.4 billion Euros, 65 billion euros larger than the Italian capital Rome, and was the largest non-capital city in terms of GDP in Europe. The engine of Europe Among European countries, Germany had by far the largest economy, with a gross domestic product of over 4.18 trillion Euros. The United Kingdom or France have been Europe's second largest economy since the 1980s, depending on the year, with forecasts suggesting France will overtake the UK going into the 2020s. Germany however, has been the biggest European economy for some time, with five cities (Munich, Berlin, Hamburg, Stuttgart and Frankfurt) among the 15 largest European cities by GDP. Europe's largest cities In 2023, Moscow was the largest european city, with a population of nearly 12.7 million. Paris was the largest city in western Europe, with a population of over 11 million, while London was Europe's third-largest city at 9.6 million inhabitants.

East Dunbartonshire, the city of Edinburgh, East Loathian and East Renfrewshire were the most xpensive regions for residential property in Scotland as of February 2025. The average house price in those regions were over 300,000 British pounds. In comparison, the average house price in Scotland was almost two times lower. Which are the most expensive streets to live in Scotland? With the average house price valued at approximately 3 million British pounds, Queen's Crescent, Auchterarder PH3 was the most expensive street for residential real estate in Scotland in 2024. This was almost twice higher than in the second-priciest street, Ann street, Edinburgh EH4. Compared to other regions in the UK, Scotland is affordable Though 3.6 million British pounds is an impressive figure, not all housing in Scotland falls in this price bracket. In fact, with an average house price of about 170,000 British pounds, Scotland is the third most affordable region for first-time home buyers. Furthermore, it has the second lowest rent to income ratio in the UK.

In September 2025, the top one percent of earners in the United Kingdom received an average pay of 16,212 British pounds per month, compared with the bottom ten percent of earners who earned around 855 pounds a month.

London was the most expensive city to buy an apartment in the United Kingdom, with an average value of ****** euros per square meter in the first quarter of 2025. The price of an apartment in Leeds was significantly lower at approximately ***** euros per square meter.