House prices made a surprise jump in April, as the “remarkable resilience” of the UK’s housing market trumped the hit to consumer confidence caused by the Iran war. Annual house price growth in the UK climbed to three per cent last month, up from 2.2 per cent in March. National
Felix Armstrong
Friday 01 May 2026 7:40 am | Updated: Friday 01 May 2026 8:01 am
House prices made a surprise jump in April, as the “remarkable resilience” of the UK’s housing market trumped the hit to consumer confidence caused by the Iran war.
Annual house price growth in the UK climbed to three per cent last month, up from 2.2 per cent in March.
National house prices grew by 0.4 per cent month-on-month, according to Nationwide’s house price index, putting the average UK house price at £278,880.
Leading figures in the property market had been warning expectations that the Iran war will keep interest rates higher for longer would cause Brits to hold off on house purchases until rosier mortgage conditions arrived.
But Friday’s house price figures suggest the housing market is regaining momentum after a slow winter period, in which the property market stuttered in its recovery from months of pre-Budget speculation.
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Robert Gardner, Nationwide’s chief economist, said Britain’s housing market has managed to gain momentum despite fears of high mortgage rates, buoyed by the “relative strength” of household finances.
This comes despite consumer confidence falling to its lowest level in more than two years, marking the third consecutive monthly drop.
The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors reported a sharp fall in new buyer enquiries in March, suggesting Brits are preparing to wait out the economic chaos caused by the conflict in the Middle East.
Read more London house prices drop again as market faces fresh headwinds
But Gardner said Brits are not yet seeing a squeeze on their finances comparable to recent cost of living crunches, with household debt at its lowest level relative to income for around two decades.
“Moreover, housing affordability had been improving steadily in recent years due to a combination of income growth outpacing house price growth by a wide margin and a modest decline in mortgage rates,” he said.
Mortgage rates could rise
Jason Tebb, president of property portal Onthemarket, said: “Despite the challenging economic backdrop, the housing market continues to demonstrate the resilience it has become known for.
“The Bank of England’s decision to hold interest rates for another month should also have a steadying effect on momentum in the market, suggesting stability and no need to panic.”
On Thursday, the Monetary Policy Committee opted to hold interest rates, but signalled that hikes could be on the horizon.
Ashley Webb, senior economist at consultancy Capital Economics, said: “The growing upside risks to our mortgage rate forecast from the most recent rise in oil prices suggests this strength is unlikely to last.”
Gardner warned the market’s recovery could stall: “Looking ahead, UK economic growth is likely to be somewhat weaker and inflation higher than previously expected as a result of developments in the Middle East.”
Earlier this month, property experts Knight Frank and banking giant Barclays both slashed their forecasts for this year’s house price growth.
Read more House prices pick up but property outlook remains ‘clouded’
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