6th February 2026
The Halifax house price index has passed £300,000 for the first time. The average is not £300,077 a one percent increase on a year ago.
The housing market entered 2026 on a steady footing, with average prices rising by +0.7% in January, more than reversing the -0.5% fall seen December. Annual growth also edged higher to +1.0%, pushing the cost of the typical UK home above £300,000 for the first time.
"While that's undoubtedly a milestone figure, and activity levels show a resilient market, affordability remains a challenge for many would-be buyers.
"Broader economic conditions continue to provide some support. Wage growth has been outpacing property price inflation since late 2022, steadily improving underlying affordability. That's a positive trend for buyers, and the long-term health of the market.
"And we're now seeing more mortgage deals below 4%. If inflation continues to ease, there should be further gradual reductions as the year goes on.
"All in all, we still think house prices are likely to edge up between 1% and 3% this year."
November 2025 figures (most recent published) show the average price of a property in Scotland at about £193,000. This was up around 4.5% over the previous year.