印紙税Stamp Duty

UK House Prices Up 2.7% in the Year to May 2026 — the First Post-SDLT-Change Comparison

ONS UK House Price Index: annual growth of 2.7% to May 2026, with the 0.3% monthly rise measured against last year's SDLT-driven 1.5% spike. What the May reading means for stamp duty.

·2 min read·By UK Calculator Editorial Team · Reviewed & approved by Cedric Mukolonga·Updated 23 Jul 2026

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What the source announced

Annual UK house price growth was 2.7% in the year to May 2026, according to the UK House Price Index (ONS UK HPI, May 2026). The figure is a provisional estimate, subject to revision as further transaction data is incorporated into the index.

On a monthly basis, average UK house prices rose by 0.3% between April and May 2026 (ONS UK HPI, May 2026). That movement was smaller than the 1.5% recorded across the same April-to-May window a year earlier.

Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) changes were introduced in England and Northern Ireland on 1 April 2025, as noted in the report (ONS UK HPI, May 2026). The stronger 1.5% price movement a year earlier falls within the same window as that SDLT change, and the smaller 0.3% movement this year is measured against it.

What this means for your stamp duty

The 2.7% annual rise is the price backdrop for any purchase agreed in 2026 (ONS UK HPI, May 2026).

Work out the stamp duty on your purchase price →

How the SDLT bands and reliefs work, in full →

The April 2026 reading and the base effect, explained →

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