Halifax: average UK house price slips 0.1% in April as annual growth halves to 0.4%

Halifaxs April House Price Index, published this morning, shows the average UK home edging down 0.1% on the month to £299,313, with annual growth halving to 0.4% from 0.8% in March. Higher mortgage rates have held back the early-2026 rebound and pulled the typical first-time-buyer purchase price to £238,908, the lowest level this year. For sellers, asking strategies need to reflect a cooler national picture rather than the rebound some had pencilled in; for buyers, stable prices help, but affordability stays stretched.