The Price Index of Private Rents (PIPR) increased gradually since 2015 and reached a value of ***** in ************. That indicates a rental increase of ** percent since ************, the baseline year when the index was set to 100. The rental rates for mainstream properties are forecast to continue to grow over the next five years.

Rents in England's capital, London, declined by *** percent annually as of January 2025. Nevertheless, many boroughs recorded growing rental prices, with Bromley and Croydon observing double-digit growth. Across the region, Croydon, Barking, Dagenham, and Havering ranked as some of the most affordable areas to rent. As shown by the Index of Private Housing Rental Prices, rents in the UK have soared since the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the five-year period between 2025 and 2029, the prime residential rent for existing properties in Greater London is expected to increase by 17.1 percent. The highest percentage change is expected to occur in 2025 and 2029, when rents are to rise by 3.5 percent. In the UK, rental growth has accelerated notably since 2021, with March 2024 experiencing a decade-high annual percentage growth. The trend reflects the complex interplay between housing affordability, mortgage rates, and supply of rental homes as the UK housing market navigates a period of transition.

Rent Inflation in the United Kingdom decreased to 4.50 percent in July from 5.80 percent in June of 2025. This dataset includes a chart with historical data for the United Kingdom Rent Inflation.

The Price Index of Private Rents (PIPR) has shown significant growth, reaching a value of 117.9 in January 2025. This marks an increase of approximately 17.9 percent since January 2023, reflecting a robust upward trend in rental prices. Notably, the index saw a steady rise throughout 2024, with an annual percentage change peaking at 9.2 percent in March 2024. Mainstream properties are forecast to see rents further increase until 2028.

Median monthly rental prices for the private rental market in England by bedroom category, region and administrative area, calculated using data from the Valuation Office Agency and Office for National Statistics.

Between 2008 and 2024, the average weekly rent for private renters in England has shown a significant increase. In the 2009, the average rent was 153 British pounds, and by 2024, it had risen to 237 British pounds. Excluding London, the average rent started at 130 British pounds in 2009 and reached 191 British pounds in 2024, demonstrating a similar upward trend but at a lower rate compared to the overall average in England. Rental households in England Renting is common in England. Nearly one in five households occupied a dwelling that was privately rented in 2024. While the majority of households in the country live in an owner-occupied home, this percentage has declined since the early 2000s. Meanwhile, the share of households occupying a private rental has doubled over the past decade. This shows a growing rental sector and a shift in tenure trends in the country. Buying vs renting costs For a long time, the average monthly costs of buying a home were lower than renting. In 2021, housing costs started to increase steeply, closely followed by rental costs. This resulted in the gap nearly closing in 2023. This trend can also be observed through the house price to rent ratio - an index that follows the development of house prices relative to rents, with 2015 as a baseline year. Between 2015 and 2022, the ratio grew steadily, indicating that property prices rise faster than rents. However, with rental growth accelerating and catching up with property prices in 2022, the index declined notably.

The average monthly home rental payment in the United Kingdom (UK) increased steadily since 2008, reaching 1, 258 British pounds in December 2023. In comparison, the average home buying costs amounted to 1,231 British Pounds that year, meaning that homeowners saved 27 British pounds monthly from the difference.

The average agreed rent for new tenancies in the UK ranged from *** British pounds to ***** British pounds, depending on the region. On average, renters outside of London paid ***** British pounds, whereas in London, this figure amounted to ***** British pounds. Rents have been on the rise for many years, but the period after the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated this trend. Since 2015, the average rent in the UK increased by about ** percent, with about half of that gain achieved in the period after the pandemic. Why have UK rents increased so much? One of the main reasons driving up rental prices is the declining affordability of homeownership. Historically, house prices grew faster than rents, making renting more financially feasible than buying. In 2022, when the house price to rent ratio index peaked, house prices had outgrown rents by nearly ** percent since 2015. As house prices peaked in 2022, home buying slowed, exacerbating demand for rental properties and leading to soaring rental prices. How expensive is too expensive? Although there is no official requirement about the proportion of income spent on rent for it to be considered affordable, a popular rule is that rent should not exceed more than ** percent of income. In 2024, most renters in the UK exceeded that threshold, with the southern regions significantly more likely to spend upward of ** percent of their income on rent. Rental affordability has sparked a move away from the capital to other regions in the UK, such as the South East (Brighton and Southampton), the West Midlands (Birmingham) and the North West (Liverpool, Manchester, Blackpool and Preston).

Amount charged by Registered Social Landlord (Private Registered Provider (PRP)) Average Weekly Rents for social housing.

Data is collected by the Housing Corporation via the annual Regulatory and Statistical Return (RSR) based on general needs stock only.

Figures are based on only the larger Registered Social Landlords (RSLs) completing the long form. Upto 2006 the threshold for completing the long form was that the RSL owned/ managed at least 250 units/bedspaces. From 2007 this increased to 1,000 units/bedspaces.

The districts, unitary authorities and counties listed above are based on 1 April 1998 boundaries. Figures for any 'new' re-organised areas have been estimated retrospectively applying the new boundaries back to 1997 and making appropriate assumptions.

Note that the average RSL rents within a local authority area can move down from one year to the next. This is especially true if, during the latest year, most of the LA stock has been transferred through a large-scale voluntary transfer to the RSL sector.

Larger housing associations report the rent they charge in the HCA’s Statistical Data Return.

Data in spreadsheet includes average weekly rents for housing association general needs properties by number of bedrooms, in London by borough (stock owned by larger associations only).

Price to Rent Ratio in the United Kingdom increased to 113.72 in the first quarter of 2025 from 113.62 in the fourth quarter of 2024. This dataset includes a chart with historical data for the United Kingdom Price to Rent Ratio.

The prime property rental real estate market in Outer London is expected to see an overall increase in rental rates during the ********* period between 2025 and 2029. Over the ********* period, the cumulative prime rental growth is forecast at **** percent. Nationwide, residential rents have soared since 2021, with the annual rental growth peaking at over **** percent in **********.

The majority of private landlords in England raised the rent on the most recent letting or extension in line with market rents in the area. This reason was chosen by ** percent of the respondents. Additionally, ** percent were advised by their agent. Additional costs incurred by landlords, such as mortgage costs, renovation, and tax changes, also played a significant role. In the UK, rental growth started to accelerate in 2021, with the year-on-year increase in the Price Index of Private Rents (PIPR) peaking at *** percent in March 2024.

An experimental price index tracking the prices paid for renting property from private landlords in the United Kingdom

Number of affordable housing starts (seasonally adjusted)

How the figure is calculated:

Total reported numbers of starts under the relevant programmes within the reporting period. Because delivery is seasonal and reflects funding profiles, with more starts and completions being reported in the second six months than are reported in the first six months, the current figures are compared back to the equivalent period of the year before rather than the preceding six months.

Why is this indicator in the business plan?

These are the most timely indicators on affordable housing delivery. Increasing the supply of affordable housing is a key part of DCLG policy.

How often is it updated?

Bi-annually, approximately June and November.

Where does the data come from?

Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) - Investment Management System and other programme information. Published figures are at http://www.homesandcommunities.co.uk/housing-statistics.

Greater London Authority (GLA) - Investment Management System and other programme information. Published figures are at http://www.london.gov.uk/priorities/housing-land/increasing-housing-supply/gla-affordable-housing-statistics.

What area does the headline figure cover?

England

Are further breakdowns of the data available?

Yes, can be split by type (social rent, affordable rent, intermediate rent, Low Cost Home Ownership) and by local authority area.

What does a change in this indicator show?

An increase in this indicator is good and shows more new affordable houses are being started through the HCA and GLA.

Time Lag

Published within two months of the end of the reporting period.

Next available update

June 2015.

Type of Data

Official Statistics.

Robustness and data limitations

• Does not include all affordable housing starts and completions because some will be delivered outside the HCA and GLA roles.
• Delivery is seasonal and reflects funding profiles. Delivery tends to be lower in the first six months than the last six months of the year and therefore comparisons with the previous six-monthly period are not usually appropriate.
• A small number of the affordable housing starts reported by the HCA over this period are actually located in London (the Get Britain Building programme in London is administered by the HCA on behalf of the GLA).

With effect from 1 April 2014, affordable housing starts on site include the starts on site for new build homes purchased at completion. These have not been reported historically

Links to Further Information

http://www.homesandcommunities.co.uk/housing-statistics

http://www.london.gov.uk/priorities/housing-land/increasing-housing-supply/gla-affordable-housing-statistics

Contact Details

CorporatePerformance@communities.gsi.gov.uk

This dataset contains average rents of Camden housing stock by bedroom size. These values are from the annual Housing Revenue Account Budget and Rent Review document - links to this document are included in the dataset.

Number of affordable housing completions (seasonally adjusted)

How the figure is calculated:

Total reported numbers of completions under the relevant programmes within the reporting period. Because delivery is seasonal and reflects funding profiles, with more starts and completions being reported in the second six months than are reported in the first six months, the current figures are compared back to the equivalent period of the year before rather than the preceding six months.

Why is this indicator in the business plan?

These are the most timely indicators on affordable housing delivery. Increasing the supply of affordable housing is a key part of DCLG policy.

How often is it updated?

Bi-annually, approximately June and November.

Where does the data come from?

Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) - Investment Management System and other programme information. Published figures are at http://www.homesandcommunities.co.uk/housing-statistics.

Greater London Authority (GLA) - Investment Management System and other programme information. Published figures are at http://www.london.gov.uk/priorities/housing-land/increasing-housing-supply/gla-affordable-housing-statistics.

What area does the headline figure cover?

England

Are further breakdowns of the data available?

Yes, can be split by type (social rent, affordable rent, intermediate rent, Low Cost Home Ownership) and by local authority area.

What does a change in this indicator show?

An increase in this indicator is good and shows more new affordable houses are being completed through the HCA and GLA.

Time Lag

Published within two months of the end of the reporting period.

Next available update

June 2015.

Type of Data

Official Statistics.

Robustness and data limitations

• Does not include all affordable housing starts and completions because some will be delivered outside the HCA and GLA roles.
• Delivery is seasonal and reflects funding profiles. Delivery tends to be lower in the first six months than the last six months of the year and therefore comparisons with the previous six-monthly period are not usually appropriate.
• A small number of the affordable housing starts reported by the HCA over this period are actually located in London (the Get Britain Building programme in London is administered by the HCA on behalf of the GLA).

Links to Further Information

http://www.homesandcommunities.co.uk/housing-statistics

http://www.london.gov.uk/priorities/housing-land/increasing-housing-supply/gla-affordable-housing-statistics

Contact Details

CorporatePerformance@communities.gsi.gov.uk