Brexit housing market winners and losers
England can’t keep pace with the other home nations
And the south of England falls well behind the north
The latest research from Yopa has revealed a stark regional divide in house price growth since the Brexit referendum (June 23rd 2016), with Northern Ireland, Wales, Scotland and northern England recording some of the strongest gains of the last decade, while London and the south fail to keep pace.
Despite average UK house prices increasing by £73,974, or 37.7%, since June 2016, growth has been far from evenly distributed, with many traditionally more affordable markets outperforming southern England over the last 10 years.
The analysis examined average house price data between June 2016, the month of the Brexit referendum, and April 2026. Yopa compared average sold prices across the UK, its nations and regions, and local authority areas to measure how property values have changed over the last decade.*
Across the UK as a whole, the average house price has increased from £196,106 at the time of the Brexit vote to £270,080 today, a rise of £73,974, or 37.7%.
However, the strongest growth has been concentrated outside southern England. Northern Ireland has led the way, with average house prices increasing by £81,378, or 69.8%, over the last decade. Wales ranks second among the home nations, with values up by 53.2% (£73,825), while Scotland has seen prices climb by 42.2% (£56,978)
Within England, the strongest regional growth has come from the North West, where average house prices have increased by 56.7%. The West Midlands has seen growth of 48.1%, followed by the East Midlands at 47.5% and Yorkshire and the Humber at 47%.
Further down the table, the North East has recorded growth of 35.9% and the South West at 34.2%. The East of England has seen average values rise by 27.2%, while the South East has recorded growth of 22.6%.
London has seen by far the weakest regional performance since the referendum, with average house prices increasing by just £51,508, or 10.3%.
The strongest-performing local authority area in every region
The trend becomes even clearer when examining the strongest-performing local authority area within each nation and region.
Northern Ireland’s strongest growth has been recorded in Derry City and Strabane, where house prices have increased by 88.5%, while Blaenau Gwent leads Wales with growth of 77.7%.
Scotland’s standout performer has been Orkney Islands, where average house price has climbed by 133.3%, making it the strongest-performing local authority area across Great Britain.
Within England, Oldham recorded the largest increase in the North West at 86.2%, followed by Sandwell in the West Midlands (75.9%), and Bolsover in the East Midlands (68.5%).
Yorkshire & Humber has been led by Rotherham (59.1%), while County Durham tops the North East at 46.1%.
Elsewhere, the South West’s strongest performer has been the Forest of Dean (53.7%), while Maldon leads the East of England with growth of 39.9%. In the South East, Rother has recorded the strongest increase at 42.1%.
Even London’s best-performing borough has lagged behind many other parts of the country, with Redbridge recording growth of 31.7% over the last decade.
The overall top 10 UK local authority price performances
Looking at all local authority areas across the UK, Orkney Islands ranks first overall, having seen average house prices increase by £151,329, or 133.3%, since the Brexit referendum.
Derry City and Strabane ranks second, with prices increasing by £87,020, or 88.5%, while Oldham places third with growth of £98,152, or 86.2%.
Newry Mourne and Down has seen prices increase by £100,181, or 84.5%, followed by Salford at 81.5%, Causeway Coast and Glens at 80.9%, Rochdale at 80.6%, Blaenau Gwent at 77.7%, Fermanagh and Omagh at 76.8%, and Burnley at 76.1%.
Areas that have seen prices fall since Brexit
At the other end of the spectrum, a small number of local authority areas have seen house prices fall over the last decade.
The largest decline has been recorded in the City of Aberdeen, where average house prices have fallen by -33.7%. The City of London has seen values fall by -31.7%, while the City of Westminster has recorded a decline of -24.7%.
Hammersmith & Fulham has recorded a decline of -8%, followed by Kensington and Chelsea (-5.6%), Tower Hamlets (-5.2%), Aberdeenshire (-4.6%), Wandsworth (-4.1%) and Southwark (-1.6%).
Verona Frankish, CEO of Yopa, commented:
“While the Brexit referendum was one of the most significant political events in modern British history, the decade since has demonstrated that local market fundamentals remain the biggest driver of house price performance.
What stands out most from this analysis is how much of the strongest growth has come from areas outside the traditional southern hotspots. Many buyers have looked beyond London and the South East in search of greater affordability, more space and better value for money, helping drive stronger price growth across Northern Ireland, Wales, Scotland and large parts of northern and central England.
At the same time, the data highlights just how localised the property market remains. While some areas have seen house prices more than double over the last decade, others have experienced far more modest growth or even declines. It’s a reminder that national trends only ever tell part of the story.”
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