House prices rose by a further 1.1 per cent in April, pushing the average price of a UK home up to £196,745, figures have shown.

Halifax said a shortage of available property continued to drive prices up but noted the rate of increase had slowed slightly.

The annual rate of house price inflation was recorded at 10.9 per cent in April, down on the 11.1 per cent seen in the previous month.

Price rises have been helped along by healthy homebuyer demand and a lack of both new and second-hand homes available on the market. The stock of unsold property on estate agents' books fell in March.