The UK housing market showed signs of steadying in early 2026, with the Nationwide House Price Index (HPI) recording an annual rise of 1.0% in February, unchanged from January’s year-over-year pace. The latest data, updated on 2 March 2026, indicates that house prices in February 2026 were 1.0% higher than in February 2025, matching the annual increase seen in January versus a year earlier.
The flat reading suggests that, on a year-over-year basis, momentum in UK house prices has neither accelerated nor weakened between January and February. With both months posting the same 1.0% annual growth rate, the figures point to a period of relative stability rather than sharp fluctuations in the housing market.
As the Nationwide HPI is closely watched by investors, policymakers and homeowners, the unchanged 1.0% year-on-year growth rate for February will likely be interpreted as a sign that the market is consolidating after previous shifts, rather than entering a new phase of rapid gains or declines. Analysts will now look to upcoming releases for clues on whether this stabilisation will persist through the rest of 2026.
