81% of renters in the UK now spend more than 30% of their take home pay on rent.
People spending over 30% of their salary on rent are considered 'rent burdened' - the majority of Brits are now in this category. Over one in three (34%) renters now spend more than 50% of their salary on rent, making them ‘severely rent burdened’.
Most UK renters are now rent burdened
In a survey of over 11,000 UK renters, 81% said they spend over 30% of their take home pay on rent. One in three (34%) say they spend more than 50% of their salary on rent.
Both of these figures have risen over the past 5 years.
Number of renters who feel rent is unaffordable has doubled
There has been a considerable shift in what is considered ‘affordable’ when it comes to rents. Between 2019 to 2021, the percentage of renters who classified their rent as unaffordable remained consistent at around one in three.
Now, over half (54%) of renters deem their rent to be unaffordable - that has almost doubled since 2021.
Women affected more than men
Women are feeling the strain more than men. 85% of women are rent burdened, compared to 77% of men.
39% of women are severely rent burdened, compared to just 28% of men.
59% of women deem their rent as unaffordable, compared to 50% of men.
London and the south face the worst affordability
Renters in London, South East and South West England spend a higher proportion of their take-home pay on rent than in other regions. In London 86% pay over 30% of their salary on rent, followed by 83% in the South West and 82% in the South East.
Northern Ireland is the least rent burdened region of the UK, with 67% of respondents paying over 30% of their take home pay on rent.
