HMRC figures show home sales increase by 17% year-on-year in May, indicating a rise in housing market activity compared with the same month in the previous year. The Independent reports that activity had fallen a year earlier following stamp duty changes, suggesting the comparison reflects different conditions in the two periods rather than a uniform shift in demand. Taken together, the accounts point to an improvement in the latest month versus the prior-year baseline, while also highlighting that policy changes in the stamp duty system affected earlier market performance. The reports do not provide details on price movements, transaction volumes in absolute terms, or regional breakdowns. Overall, the available information frames the May figure as a year-on-year increase in sales activity, with the earlier decline linked to stamp duty policy changes that altered buyer costs and influenced market timing. The reporting relies on HMRC data, which tracks property transactions for taxation purposes.