Room rents just hit record highs in six of the UK's nine regions1, inflation rose 2.9% in the 12 months to July, and the cost of living is biting hard for UK renters.
Although it's generally recommended no more than 30% of a person's income be spent on housing costs, many renters know this is no longer a realistic or achievable goal.
It's common for people to spend more than half their income on rent in 2026. In fact, just 15.3% of UK renters spend less than 30% of their pay on rent, excluding bills, as shown in the table below. Affordability is worse in London than across the rest of the UK, where just 13.1% spend less than 30%.
| Q. What percentage of your monthly take-home pay (after tax) do you spend on rent, excluding bills? | Whole of UK renters (5,607 respondents) | London renters (2,126 respondents) | UK excluding London renters (3,481 respondents) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Less than 20% | 4.6% | 4.2% | 4.9% |
| 20-29% | 10.7% | 8.9% | 11.8% |
| 30-39% | 23.2% | 22.2% | 23.9% |
| 40-49% | 23.7% | 24.7% | 23% |
| 50-59% | 18.1% | 18.9% | 17.6% |
| 60-69% | 10.7% | 11.8% | 10% |
| 70% or more | 9% | 9.2% | 8.8% |
| Less than 30% | 15.3% | 13.1% | 16.7% |
| 30% or more | 84.7% | 86.8% | 83.3% |
| 50% or more | 37.8% | 39.9% | 36.4% |
In the past 12 months, almost a third (32%) of UK renters and 35% of London renters have been uprooted by rising prices, forced to move because their rent was no longer affordable.
Two thirds (67%) of UK renters said they'd seen their rent increase in the past 12 months: 42% had seen rents go up in their current rental while 25% faced rises when they moved into a new rental. In London it was slightly higher: 70% had seen their rent increase in the past 12 months - 44% in their current rental and 27% when they moved into a new place.
Rising rents impact lives & delay life plans
The effect of sustained high and rising rents has broad-ranging effects. In fact, only 7% of renters say rising rents have not affected their lives in any way.
- Mental health: 57% of renters say rising rents have affected their mental wellbeing.
- Quality of life: 54% say the quality of housing they live in has been determined by rising rents
- Life milestones: 24% say rising rents have impacted their ability to date; 22% have delayed living with a partner; 23% have delayed having children.
- Financial: 84% say their ability to save money has been impacted; 28% say their ability to move jobs has been affected.
- Unaffected: Only 7% say rising rents have not affected their lives in any way.
Matt Hutchinson, director of flatshare site SpareRoom.co.uk, comments: “Renters are struggling with a multi-pronged assault on their budgets. The cost of essentials has been going up and up, and rent is no exception. Rents are high because flatshare supply is now in negative growth, and grossly misaligned with demand. This has both economic and social consequences.
“Every time this is put to the Government, they point to the Renters' Rights Act. While the Act has certainly helped protect tenants in some ways, it has done nothing to increase supply or curb rent increases. In fact our data, which shows supply in decline and rents rising in the same quarter the Act came into effect, suggests that, so far, it has achieved the exact opposite. It's early days, and the protections afforded renters by the act are essential, but this is just phase one. Phase two must see measures introduced to seriously tackle affordability."