Private rent in Britain now swallows 44% of the average wage

The Guardian - World NewsCenter-LeftEN 3 min read 100% complete by Rupert JonesOctober 27, 2025 at 01:01 AM

AI Summary

medium article 3 min

Average private rents in Great Britain reached record highs in the third quarter of 2023, with advertised monthly rents outside London averaging £1,385 and £2,736 in London, according to Rightmove data. Despite a 5% rise in average earnings year-over-year, rent now consumes 44% of the average wage, up from 40% five years ago. The rental market faces challenges due to increased costs for landlords, including higher interest rates and potential tax changes. The supply of rental properties is 23% lower than pre-pandemic levels, contributing to rising rents. Some areas have seen rent increases exceeding 25%, with Fulwood in Lancashire experiencing a 32% increase year-over-year.

Key Topics & Entities

renters’ rights bill ×240% Citizens Advice 50% Rightmove ×460% London ×370% Great Britain ×280%

Keywords

private rent 100% affordability crisis 90% rent affordability 80% average wage 70% buy-to-let landlords 60% cost of living 50% renters' rights bill 50% stamp duty 40% rental market 40% supply and demand 40%

Sentiment Analysis

Negative

Score: -0.40

Source Transparency

Source

The Guardian - World News

Political Lean

Center-Left (-0.40)

Far LeftCenterFar Right

Classification Confidence

90%

Geographic Perspective

Great Britain

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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private rent affordability crisis rent affordability average wage buy-to-let landlords cost of living renters' rights bill stamp duty rental market supply and demand

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