The latest sales volumes figures for England show a 16.1% tumble year on year.

The latest statistics are for May, and show 58,073 transactions, down from 69,176  on an annual basis, although up from the 54,466 transactions in April.

However, April’s sales were also well down, falling 12.6% on an annual basis.

In London, transactions plunged 25.6% annually. In May, there were 5,861 sales, compared with 7,874 the year before.

The May figures were also down on April’s, which stood at 5,934. As with the overall figure for England, April sales in London were also well down, by 16.7% annually.

In Wales, sales figures in May were 3,368, down 14.4% on the year, slightly up on the month from April’s 3,166. But again, the April figures were also down annually, by 9.3%.

The figures – all of which would be historic, reflecting deals done months earlier – are from the UK House Price Index which on Tuesday achieved ‘national statistic’ status.

The index also covers house prices, which are slightly less historic. It said that in July, average UK house prices rose 1.2% on the month and 3.1% annually, to stand at £231,422.

In England, the average house price was £248,611 in July.

House prices rose most in the north-west, going up by 3.4% on a monthly basis.