BBC News
By Kevin Peachey
Published
House sales and property prices recorded an early spring surge amid government moves to stimulate the housing market.
Data from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) shows that UK property transactions in March hit the highest monthly level since modern records began in 2005.
The housing market has been relatively immune to the Covid crisis as people reconsider where they want to live.
Official data also shows average UK house prices rose 8.6% in a year.
There were 180,690 UK property sales in March, the non-seasonally adjusted HMRC figures show, which was more than double the number in March last year and 50% higher than February.