Lloyds Bank made headlines in recent weeks with the revelation that the average cost of house moves in the UK now stands at almost exactly £11,000, including spending on home removals, stamp duty, estate agents and conveyancing fees.

In London the figure is an eye-watering £31,416, equivalent to nearly three-quarters of annual earnings, while nationwide the £11,000 average is around a third of people's incomes.

Over the past year alone the total cost of moving house has gone up by nearly £900, a 9% increase, and this is largely because of rising house prices, with conveyancing fees, estate agents' costs and stamp duty all typically linked to the property's selling price.

There is good news in the north-west though, where the increase has been a much smaller 1% - one of the smallest rises in the UK, adding only about £100 to the cost of home removals in Manchester, Wigan and Warrington.

But you can still take steps to save money on your house move - which could be crucial in ensuring some home removals in Manchester and the north-west can still go ahead, when affordability might otherwise have put a stop to the sale.

Estate agents account for a lot of the costs, so if you're selling, make sure you list with an estate agent who tells you upfront how much you will have to pay, and doesn't sting you with add-on fees for extras like an online listing.

When buying, consider using a mortgage broker to get a cheaper deal - and perhaps putting down a smaller deposit if you really need to free up some money in the short term.

Don't use the broker or lawyer recommended to you by the estate agent, as you'll often pay a premium for doing so; find your own whose rates are competitive, and you'll save here too.

Finally when actually moving house, if you can't afford a full home removals service, consider putting some of your possessions into self-storage for a few weeks until you can move them yourself.

Alternatively, our man with a van service can help you with the heavy lifting if you're willing to pitch in yourself, and cut costs that way without furniture going into self-storage in the meantime.