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).

Price Index of Private Rents (PIPR) data chain-linked to Index of Private Housing Rental Prices. This is a historical series from January 2005 to February 2025.

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.

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

Private Rental Prices in the United Kingdom decreased to 7.40 percent in April from 7.70 percent in March of 2025. This dataset includes a chart with historical data for the United Kingdom Private Rental Prices.

The average rent in the private rental market in England reached 117.9 index points in January 2025, reflecting an annual percentage change of 8.8 percent. This marks a consistent upward trend, with the index value increasing by approximately 18 percent since the baseline year of January 2023. The Index of Private Housing Rental Prices measures the change in the price of renting residential property from private landlords, based on an index value of 100 in January 2023

Renting an apartment in Cambridge cost on average more than ***** British pounds per month in December 2023, making it the most expensive cities for renters in the UK after London. In London, the average rent ranged between ***** British pounds and ***** British pounds depending on the location. On the other hand, Northern Ireland, Wales, and North East were the regions with the most affordable rents.

Private rent price statistics, including indices, annual percentage change and price levels.

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.

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.

The average rent for flats and maisonettes in the private rental market in Great Britain increased faster than any other property type as of January 2025. The Index of Private Housing Rental Prices measures the change in the price of renting residential property from private landlords, based on an index value of 100 in January 2023. In January 2025, the index value for flats and maisonettes amounted to 119.5 index point, suggesting an increase of nearly 20 percent since the baseline year. Detached houses increased by 16 percent.

In January 2025, the average monthly rent in Greater London reached 2,227 British pounds, confirming its position as the most expensive area for private tenants. Rental prices across England stood at 1,375 British pounds, while the average for Great Britain was recorded at 1,332 British pounds. The North East remains the most affordable region, with rents at 710 British pounds. According to the UK Price Index of Private Rents (PIPR), rental growth has accelerated since 2021, with the cost of rental properties rising by nearly nine percent annually in January 2025.

Rent Inflation in the United Kingdom decreased to 5.80 percent in June from 6.10 percent in May of 2025. This dataset includes a chart with historical data for the United Kingdom Rent Inflation.

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.

Graph and download economic data for Harmonized Index of Consumer Prices: Actual Rentals for Housing for United Kingdom (CP0410GBM086NEST) from Jan 1996 to Nov 2020 about rent, harmonized, United Kingdom, CPI, housing, price index, indexes, and price.

Graph and download economic data for Consumer Price Index: OECD Groups: Services Less Housing: Housing Excluding Imputed Rentals for Housing for United Kingdom (GBRCPGRLH02GPM) from Feb 1996 to Nov 2023 about imputed, rent, United Kingdom, services, CPI, price index, indexes, and price.