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More recently, changes to stamp duty led to a rush of new buyers before the end of March, but greater costs for anyone who missed that deadline.

House prices fell in April as buyers faced paying thousands of pounds more in stamp duty, according to new figures from Nationwide.

The UK housing market has been relatively settled in recent times, although buyers still need to navigate uncertainty over interest rates and changes to stamp duty in England and Northern Ireland.

There is nothing much you can do if your council tax is increasing, or you are buying a house and facing a higher stamp duty bill.

Home buyers in England and Northern Ireland will pay more stamp duty after 1 April, when two key thresholds are reduced.