<p>UK house prices rose by 2.6% in May compared to April according to the latest survey by the Halifax. The annual rate of decline has eased to 16.3%.</p> <br><p>Prices in the past three months fell by 3.1% compared with the previous three months in the quarter to May, but this is a marked improvement on the level of 5 to 6% experienced in the past year or so.</p>