The result in one minute
The official UK House Price Index puts the average UK price at £271,295 in May 2026, up 0.3% from April and 2.7% over twelve months. That national figure hides a wide spread: Northern Ireland recorded 7.4% annual growth and London recorded a 3.7% fall.
£271,295
UK average price · +2.7% annually · +0.3% monthly
Countries of the UK
| Country | Average price | Monthly change | Annual change |
|---|---|---|---|
| England | £292,095 | +0.1% | +2.3% |
| Wales | £215,252 | +1.3% | +4.2% |
| Scotland | £195,543 | +1.5% | +4.4% |
| Northern Ireland | £198,015 | +1.5% | +7.4% |
Where annual growth was strongest
Northern Ireland led the four countries at 7.4%. Among the English regions, the North East rose 5.9% and the North West 5.8%. Yorkshire and The Humber followed at 4.3%. These figures describe changes in each area's own mix of completed sales; they do not mean every property gained the same percentage.
London was the outlier
London's average was still the highest at £544,814, but it fell 1.2% during May and 3.7% over the year. The North East average was £163,933, producing a £380,881 gap between the two regional averages. Price level and price direction are different questions: the most expensive region can still have the weakest short-term movement.
English regional comparison
| Region | Average price | Monthly change | Annual change |
|---|---|---|---|
| North East | £163,933 | +0.6% | +5.9% |
| North West | £219,506 | +1.4% | +5.8% |
| Yorkshire and The Humber | £208,549 | +0.2% | +4.3% |
| East Midlands | £240,758 | −0.4% | +3.2% |
| West Midlands region | £247,764 | +0.2% | +2.7% |
| East of England | £338,224 | +0.3% | +2.3% |
| London | £544,814 | −1.2% | −3.7% |
| South East | £381,311 | +0.8% | +1.2% |
| South West | £302,559 | −0.3% | +1.7% |
How to use this information
National and regional movement provides context, not an asking price or valuation. Open the house-price explorer to choose a local authority, compare it with another area and separate detached, semi-detached, terraced and flat trends. For an individual purchase, combine recent comparable sales with the property's condition, tenure, location and a suitable survey or valuation.
Method and limitations
This is our analysis of the complete May 2026 UK HPI release. We compare the latest published monthly and annual changes for the UK, countries and English regions. The newest HPI observations are provisional and can be revised as transactions are registered. Average prices are affected by the mix of homes sold, and Northern Ireland's index is published quarterly within the UK release.
Analysis by the Properties & Homes editorial team
Published and last reviewed: 14 August 2026. Data period: May 2026.
Change log: first edition. Send corrections to hello@propertiesandhomes.co.uk.