Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of trends in the levels of house prices in the last 12 months.

My Department continuously monitors the latest data on house prices.

In the 12 months up to December 2024 (the most recent data from the ONS), average house prices in the UK rose from £256,000 to £268,000 a 4.6% increase.

In England, the average house price rose from £279,000 to £291,000 a 4.3% increase. The affordability challenges facing prospective first-time buyers mean that too many people are now locked out of homeownership. The government is committed to introducing a permanent, comprehensive mortgage guarantee scheme, to support first-time buyers who struggle to save for a large deposit, with lower mortgage costs.