Official UK house prices up 1.2% annually in February as ONS benchmark catches up with lead indicators
The official UK House Price Index rose 1.2% in the year to February, up from 1.0% in January — the lagging ONS benchmark finally catching up with what Rightmove and Nationwide showed earlier in spring. Scotland (+2.3%) and Wales (+2.5%) outran England (+0.8%), with Northern Ireland still leading the pack. For sellers pricing into spring listings, the signal is modest upward momentum — not a boom, but enough to hold firm on realistic asking prices.
What this means for…
Buyers· 1/3
Sellers· 2/3
Wider market· 2/3
Each axis scored 1 (minor) to 3 (major). Total 5/9.
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15 Oct 2026 · Impact 4/9
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22 Sept 2026 · Impact 6/9
Government borrowing hits £18.3bn in August, £3.5bn above the OBR forecast
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