1991 house prices by region
UK house prices are worth roughly 5.3× their 1991 level on average, but the range across regions is enormous — about 6.8× in London against 4.2× in the North East. To find what your home was worth on 1 April 1991, the date your council tax band was set from, divide today’s value by the factor for your region below.
Growth factors and worked examples
| Region | Divide by | Basis | £200,000 today | £325,000 today | £500,000 today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| London | 6.8× | 1991 | £29,412 | £47,794 | £73,529 |
| South East | 5.9× | 1991 | £33,898 | £55,085 | £84,746 |
| East of England | 5.7× | 1991 | £35,088 | £57,018 | £87,719 |
| South West | 5.6× | 1991 | £35,714 | £58,036 | £89,286 |
| East Midlands | 5.2× | 1991 | £38,462 | £62,500 | £96,154 |
| West Midlands | 5× | 1991 | £40,000 | £65,000 | £100,000 |
| Yorkshire & the Humber | 4.6× | 1991 | £43,478 | £70,652 | £108,696 |
| North West | 4.5× | 1991 | £44,444 | £72,222 | £111,111 |
| North East | 4.2× | 1991 | £47,619 | £77,381 | £119,048 |
| Scotland | 4.4× | 1991 | £45,455 | £73,864 | £113,636 |
| Wales | 2.4× | 2003 | £83,333 | £135,417 | £208,333 |
Factors last reviewed 2026-07-14. Regional averages describe a typical property that has tracked its local market.
Which postcode areas fall in each region
| Region | Main postcode areas |
|---|---|
| London | E, EC, N, NW, SE, SW, W, WC |
| South East | BN, GU, ME, OX, PO, RG, RH, SO, TN |
| East of England | CB, CM, CO, IP, NR, PE, SG, SS |
| South West | BA, BS, DT, EX, GL, PL, SN, SP, TA, TQ, TR |
| East Midlands | DE, LE, LN, NG, NN |
| West Midlands | B, CV, DY, HR, ST, SY, TF, WR, WS, WV |
| Yorkshire & the Humber | BD, DN, HD, HG, HU, HX, LS, S, WF, YO |
| North West | BB, BL, CA, CH, CW, FY, L, LA, M, OL, PR, SK, WA, WN |
| North East | DH, DL, NE, SR, TS |
| Scotland | AB, DD, DG, EH, FK, G, IV, KA, KW, KY, ML, PA, PH, TD, ZE |
| Wales | CF, LD, LL, NP, SA, SY (Welsh) |
How to use these figures
Take your home’s current value, divide by your regional factor, and compare the result against the 1991 band thresholds. If the answer lands below the range for the band you are paying, that is a signal worth investigating — but not proof on its own. The Valuation Office Agency weighs comparable properties far more heavily than an indexed estimate, so the next step is checking what your neighbours are banded at.
- The full back-valuation method — including what evidence the VOA accepts.
- 1991 value estimator — does the arithmetic and shows the resulting band.
- Council tax bands explained — the 1991 and 2003 thresholds in full.
Common questions
How much have UK house prices risen since 1991?
Around 5.3× on a national average, but the spread by region is wide: London homes are worth roughly 6.8× their 1991 value while North East homes are closer to 4.2×. Using the national figure in a London or North East calculation will put your estimate a whole band or more out.
Which region should I use?
Use the region your postcode area falls in — the table lists the main postcode areas for each. Where a postcode sits on a boundary, run the calculation with both factors and treat the answer as a range.
Why does Wales use 2003 instead of 1991?
Wales is the only part of the UK to have revalued its council tax stock. Welsh bands were reset to 1 April 2003 values and extended to a ninth band, I. England and Scotland still use 1 April 1991.
Where do these factors come from?
They are derived from the regional house price series published by HM Land Registry and Nationwide, comparing the current regional average price with the average at the valuation date. They are reviewed alongside our quarterly index refresh.
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