House prices in Britain increased by 11.3 percent year-on-year in April, up from 10.9 percent in March, according to a government survey released on Monday.

The average home cost almost 209,454 pounds (412,625 U.S. dollars) in April, up from 206,890 pounds (407,570 U.S. dollars) in March, with the average house prices in London rising 14 percent compared with 13.9 growth the previous month, the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) survey said.

The DCLG index showed, as in previous months, that Northern Ireland and London saw prices staying above the national average.

The British house price inflation rate for first-time buyers rose from 10.8 percent in March to 11.2 percent in April, while the inflation rate for former owner- occupiers rose from 10.9 percent in March to 11.3 percent in April.

The average price paid by first-time buyers across the country was 159,977 pounds (315,155 U.S. dollars) in April, while the average price paid by former owner-occupiers was 233,726 pounds (226,715 U.S. dollars).

The DCLG figures went against recent surveys by Halifax and Nationwide -- both influential housing information providers -- which have shown a beginning of cooling in house prices.

The DCLG figures have a time-lag, as they are based on mortgage completions.

Northern Ireland saw the strongest house-price growth, shooting up by 54 percent over the past year, the DCLG said.

London continued to drive the growth in England, up 14 percent over the past year. The average price of a home in the capital stood at around 320,000 pounds (630,400 U.S. dollars).

Elsewhere, Scotland has seen a growth of nearly 18 percent in the past one-year period, while Wales nine percent.

Source: Xinhua