UK Rental Market: Rents, Size and Regional Trends
The UK rental market is large, but two familiar claims need correcting. More than a third of households do not privately rent, and the private rented sector has not tripled in size. The latest English Housing Survey estimates that 4.7 million households in England privately rent, equal to 19% of all households. The sector has doubled since the early 2000s, while its share has stayed close to 19% or 20% since 2013-14.
Rents are still rising, although more slowly than during the recent peak. The current Office for National Statistics measure puts the average UK monthly private rent at £1,388, up 3.3% over 12 months. That measure covers the whole privately rented stock, including existing and new tenancies, rather than only homes newly advertised to let.
Article updated: August 2026
UK Rental Market Statistics
The national averages are not one market moving at one speed. Wales recorded the fastest annual growth among the four nations in the latest ONS private-rent release, while England remained the most expensive on average.
| Nation | Average monthly rent | Annual change | Reference month |
|---|---|---|---|
| England | £1,446 | 3.4% | June 2026 |
| Wales | £843 | 4.9% | June 2026 |
| Scotland | £1,012 | 1.3% | June 2026 |
| Northern Ireland | £877 | 2.9% | April 2026 |
The UK figure is provisional for the latest two months. ONS rents are rounded to the nearest pound and are not seasonally adjusted. Northern Ireland data run two months behind and cover advertised new lets. The ONS also advises caution when comparing Scotland and Northern Ireland with England and Wales because the underlying collection methods differ.
UK Rental Market Trends Since 2015
Looking at one month alone hides the longer rental market trend. The ONS series starts in January 2015, when the UK average was £910 a month and English regional averages ranged from £533 in the North East to £1,580 in London. By June 2026, the UK average was £1,388 and the regional range was £781 to £2,302. The chart plots every English region so the different paths are visible, not just the national average and two endpoints.
- United Kingdom
- North East
- North West
- Yorkshire and The Humber
- East Midlands
- West Midlands
- East of England
- London
- South East
- South West
Source: Office for National Statistics Price Index of Private Rents
| Month | United Kingdom | North East | North West | Yorkshire and The Humber | East Midlands | West Midlands | East of England | London | South East | South West |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-01 | £910 | £533 | £594 | £586 | £566 | £615 | £800 | £1,580 | £932 | £778 |
| 2015-02 | £912 | £533 | £595 | £585 | £567 | £617 | £805 | £1,583 | £932 | £779 |
| 2015-03 | £915 | £533 | £596 | £586 | £568 | £619 | £808 | £1,590 | £935 | £781 |
| 2015-04 | £918 | £534 | £597 | £586 | £568 | £620 | £811 | £1,602 | £938 | £783 |
| 2015-05 | £922 | £534 | £597 | £585 | £569 | £622 | £814 | £1,616 | £939 | £785 |
| 2015-06 | £924 | £534 | £597 | £583 | £570 | £623 | £817 | £1,620 | £942 | £785 |
| 2015-07 | £926 | £534 | £598 | £584 | £572 | £624 | £820 | £1,624 | £944 | £787 |
| 2015-08 | £930 | £535 | £599 | £585 | £573 | £625 | £824 | £1,634 | £947 | £790 |
| 2015-09 | £933 | £535 | £600 | £587 | £575 | £627 | £827 | £1,643 | £951 | £792 |
| 2015-10 | £935 | £536 | £601 | £586 | £576 | £628 | £832 | £1,644 | £953 | £793 |
| 2015-11 | £936 | £537 | £603 | £587 | £576 | £629 | £835 | £1,644 | £958 | £796 |
| 2015-12 | £939 | £537 | £603 | £587 | £576 | £633 | £839 | £1,648 | £961 | £798 |
| 2016-01 | £941 | £537 | £603 | £586 | £578 | £634 | £842 | £1,654 | £964 | £799 |
| 2016-02 | £942 | £538 | £605 | £585 | £578 | £636 | £846 | £1,655 | £968 | £802 |
| 2016-03 | £946 | £539 | £606 | £587 | £579 | £638 | £851 | £1,664 | £971 | £805 |
| 2016-04 | £949 | £539 | £607 | £588 | £580 | £639 | £855 | £1,666 | £977 | £808 |
| 2016-05 | £952 | £540 | £608 | £590 | £582 | £640 | £858 | £1,674 | £979 | £811 |
| 2016-06 | £954 | £541 | £610 | £591 | £583 | £641 | £862 | £1,679 | £983 | £815 |
| 2016-07 | £958 | £544 | £611 | £591 | £586 | £642 | £865 | £1,687 | £988 | £818 |
| 2016-08 | £961 | £545 | £612 | £593 | £588 | £645 | £869 | £1,691 | £992 | £820 |
| 2016-09 | £963 | £547 | £613 | £594 | £589 | £647 | £873 | £1,695 | £997 | £822 |
| 2016-10 | £966 | £548 | £614 | £595 | £591 | £650 | £877 | £1,696 | £1,000 | £827 |
| 2016-11 | £968 | £550 | £615 | £596 | £593 | £651 | £880 | £1,700 | £1,004 | £831 |
| 2016-12 | £970 | £551 | £616 | £598 | £595 | £653 | £882 | £1,702 | £1,007 | £835 |
| 2017-01 | £972 | £551 | £617 | £599 | £597 | £654 | £887 | £1,705 | £1,009 | £836 |
| 2017-02 | £973 | £553 | £619 | £600 | £599 | £654 | £889 | £1,702 | £1,011 | £837 |
| 2017-03 | £975 | £553 | £621 | £602 | £600 | £655 | £892 | £1,704 | £1,014 | £839 |
| 2017-04 | £977 | £553 | £622 | £605 | £602 | £657 | £895 | £1,706 | £1,017 | £840 |
| 2017-05 | £977 | £554 | £623 | £605 | £603 | £658 | £896 | £1,701 | £1,017 | £841 |
| 2017-06 | £979 | £554 | £624 | £605 | £604 | £661 | £898 | £1,705 | £1,018 | £843 |
| 2017-07 | £982 | £554 | £625 | £606 | £606 | £664 | £901 | £1,711 | £1,021 | £846 |
| 2017-08 | £982 | £554 | £627 | £608 | £608 | £666 | £902 | £1,706 | £1,022 | £849 |
| 2017-09 | £982 | £554 | £628 | £608 | £609 | £667 | £905 | £1,698 | £1,024 | £851 |
| 2017-10 | £983 | £554 | £630 | £609 | £611 | £667 | £907 | £1,700 | £1,024 | £852 |
| 2017-11 | £984 | £554 | £633 | £610 | £614 | £668 | £908 | £1,699 | £1,025 | £854 |
| 2017-12 | £985 | £554 | £635 | £611 | £616 | £669 | £910 | £1,697 | £1,026 | £857 |
| 2018-01 | £984 | £553 | £635 | £612 | £616 | £670 | £911 | £1,689 | £1,027 | £857 |
| 2018-02 | £986 | £554 | £636 | £611 | £618 | £672 | £913 | £1,694 | £1,028 | £858 |
| 2018-03 | £984 | £554 | £636 | £612 | £619 | £673 | £914 | £1,683 | £1,030 | £858 |
| 2018-04 | £984 | £553 | £638 | £614 | £620 | £675 | £916 | £1,678 | £1,030 | £860 |
| 2018-05 | £985 | £553 | £638 | £614 | £622 | £676 | £916 | £1,675 | £1,031 | £861 |
| 2018-06 | £985 | £555 | £639 | £614 | £624 | £676 | £917 | £1,676 | £1,031 | £862 |
| 2018-07 | £987 | £554 | £640 | £615 | £626 | £678 | £918 | £1,680 | £1,034 | £863 |
| 2018-08 | £989 | £555 | £641 | £615 | £628 | £678 | £920 | £1,683 | £1,035 | £865 |
| 2018-09 | £990 | £556 | £642 | £617 | £635 | £680 | £922 | £1,681 | £1,037 | £866 |
| 2018-10 | £993 | £557 | £643 | £617 | £638 | £683 | £923 | £1,686 | £1,038 | £868 |
| 2018-11 | £995 | £557 | £644 | £619 | £643 | £684 | £925 | £1,691 | £1,040 | £870 |
| 2018-12 | £997 | £557 | £644 | £619 | £642 | £685 | £925 | £1,696 | £1,043 | £872 |
| 2019-01 | £997 | £557 | £644 | £621 | £645 | £686 | £927 | £1,695 | £1,044 | £872 |
| 2019-02 | £999 | £556 | £643 | £622 | £645 | £687 | £930 | £1,701 | £1,045 | £874 |
| 2019-03 | £1,000 | £557 | £644 | £622 | £646 | £687 | £930 | £1,700 | £1,046 | £875 |
| 2019-04 | £1,000 | £557 | £646 | £624 | £647 | £688 | £931 | £1,698 | £1,047 | £876 |
| 2019-05 | £1,005 | £558 | £647 | £624 | £648 | £689 | £933 | £1,714 | £1,049 | £879 |
| 2019-06 | £1,005 | £559 | £647 | £625 | £649 | £688 | £934 | £1,712 | £1,050 | £879 |
| 2019-07 | £1,006 | £560 | £648 | £626 | £650 | £689 | £936 | £1,712 | £1,053 | £880 |
| 2019-08 | £1,009 | £559 | £650 | £628 | £651 | £691 | £938 | £1,716 | £1,056 | £881 |
| 2019-09 | £1,012 | £559 | £651 | £631 | £653 | £694 | £940 | £1,723 | £1,057 | £884 |
| 2019-10 | £1,014 | £561 | £652 | £632 | £656 | £697 | £941 | £1,728 | £1,058 | £885 |
| 2019-11 | £1,016 | £562 | £652 | £635 | £657 | £697 | £942 | £1,733 | £1,058 | £888 |
| 2019-12 | £1,018 | £562 | £653 | £637 | £656 | £698 | £942 | £1,737 | £1,059 | £889 |
| 2020-01 | £1,019 | £563 | £655 | £637 | £656 | £699 | £944 | £1,738 | £1,061 | £892 |
| 2020-02 | £1,021 | £563 | £655 | £638 | £658 | £700 | £946 | £1,744 | £1,062 | £893 |
| 2020-03 | £1,022 | £563 | £656 | £638 | £658 | £701 | £946 | £1,748 | £1,062 | £894 |
| 2020-04 | £1,022 | £563 | £658 | £639 | £660 | £701 | £946 | £1,741 | £1,063 | £894 |
| 2020-05 | £1,023 | £563 | £660 | £640 | £661 | £704 | £947 | £1,742 | £1,064 | £896 |
| 2020-06 | £1,024 | £565 | £660 | £641 | £661 | £705 | £947 | £1,741 | £1,065 | £897 |
| 2020-07 | £1,025 | £565 | £661 | £643 | £662 | £706 | £946 | £1,745 | £1,066 | £899 |
| 2020-08 | £1,026 | £566 | £664 | £643 | £663 | £709 | £948 | £1,744 | £1,063 | £902 |
| 2020-09 | £1,027 | £568 | £665 | £645 | £665 | £710 | £949 | £1,745 | £1,065 | £904 |
| 2020-10 | £1,029 | £571 | £666 | £646 | £667 | £712 | £951 | £1,745 | £1,067 | £908 |
| 2020-11 | £1,029 | £573 | £667 | £645 | £668 | £711 | £951 | £1,742 | £1,068 | £911 |
| 2020-12 | £1,030 | £574 | £669 | £646 | £670 | £709 | £954 | £1,737 | £1,070 | £914 |
| 2021-01 | £1,030 | £575 | £672 | £646 | £671 | £713 | £957 | £1,735 | £1,072 | £913 |
| 2021-02 | £1,032 | £576 | £672 | £648 | £673 | £713 | £964 | £1,735 | £1,073 | £918 |
| 2021-03 | £1,034 | £576 | £673 | £650 | £675 | £716 | £967 | £1,731 | £1,076 | £924 |
| 2021-04 | £1,033 | £577 | £675 | £651 | £677 | £720 | £970 | £1,721 | £1,076 | £927 |
| 2021-05 | £1,034 | £578 | £677 | £654 | £681 | £724 | £973 | £1,712 | £1,078 | £929 |
| 2021-06 | £1,036 | £580 | £679 | £655 | £681 | £726 | £977 | £1,713 | £1,081 | £932 |
| 2021-07 | £1,037 | £581 | £681 | £658 | £683 | £730 | £980 | £1,706 | £1,084 | £936 |
| 2021-08 | £1,039 | £582 | £684 | £661 | £686 | £732 | £984 | £1,706 | £1,088 | £941 |
| 2021-09 | £1,042 | £585 | £687 | £663 | £688 | £734 | £987 | £1,709 | £1,091 | £945 |
| 2021-10 | £1,046 | £586 | £690 | £666 | £690 | £735 | £992 | £1,713 | £1,097 | £950 |
| 2021-11 | £1,049 | £587 | £692 | £668 | £693 | £738 | £996 | £1,716 | £1,101 | £953 |
| 2021-12 | £1,055 | £589 | £697 | £672 | £697 | £742 | £1,000 | £1,724 | £1,105 | £959 |
| 2022-01 | £1,059 | £586 | £700 | £677 | £699 | £745 | £1,004 | £1,728 | £1,110 | £964 |
| 2022-02 | £1,063 | £588 | £703 | £680 | £703 | £749 | £1,007 | £1,735 | £1,114 | £969 |
| 2022-03 | £1,066 | £593 | £706 | £683 | £707 | £746 | £1,011 | £1,739 | £1,118 | £972 |
| 2022-04 | £1,071 | £595 | £709 | £686 | £710 | £749 | £1,014 | £1,746 | £1,124 | £975 |
| 2022-05 | £1,075 | £598 | £714 | £689 | £712 | £751 | £1,018 | £1,750 | £1,126 | £982 |
| 2022-06 | £1,079 | £600 | £717 | £691 | £715 | £757 | £1,022 | £1,754 | £1,132 | £985 |
| 2022-07 | £1,084 | £603 | £722 | £694 | £717 | £760 | £1,026 | £1,763 | £1,137 | £988 |
| 2022-08 | £1,089 | £604 | £727 | £697 | £721 | £763 | £1,028 | £1,773 | £1,142 | £995 |
| 2022-09 | £1,096 | £607 | £731 | £702 | £725 | £765 | £1,031 | £1,785 | £1,146 | £1,002 |
| 2022-10 | £1,100 | £611 | £735 | £705 | £729 | £768 | £1,034 | £1,791 | £1,151 | £1,007 |
| 2022-11 | £1,107 | £612 | £740 | £707 | £736 | £771 | £1,038 | £1,806 | £1,157 | £1,010 |
| 2022-12 | £1,114 | £616 | £744 | £711 | £738 | £775 | £1,043 | £1,818 | £1,163 | £1,016 |
| 2023-01 | £1,120 | £619 | £747 | £715 | £740 | £778 | £1,048 | £1,830 | £1,169 | £1,024 |
| 2023-02 | £1,126 | £622 | £751 | £719 | £741 | £781 | £1,052 | £1,841 | £1,177 | £1,029 |
| 2023-03 | £1,133 | £624 | £756 | £724 | £745 | £787 | £1,058 | £1,850 | £1,183 | £1,036 |
| 2023-04 | £1,142 | £629 | £762 | £730 | £748 | £794 | £1,062 | £1,870 | £1,190 | £1,039 |
| 2023-05 | £1,152 | £629 | £766 | £734 | £753 | £803 | £1,067 | £1,896 | £1,196 | £1,045 |
| 2023-06 | £1,161 | £631 | £772 | £737 | £757 | £808 | £1,072 | £1,915 | £1,204 | £1,052 |
| 2023-07 | £1,169 | £637 | £777 | £742 | £761 | £811 | £1,079 | £1,930 | £1,214 | £1,057 |
| 2023-08 | £1,177 | £639 | £783 | £747 | £766 | £817 | £1,085 | £1,945 | £1,221 | £1,065 |
| 2023-09 | £1,185 | £641 | £788 | £751 | £772 | £823 | £1,091 | £1,957 | £1,229 | £1,072 |
| 2023-10 | £1,193 | £645 | £793 | £757 | £778 | £829 | £1,098 | £1,971 | £1,236 | £1,079 |
| 2023-11 | £1,200 | £647 | £797 | £762 | £787 | £833 | £1,104 | £1,982 | £1,245 | £1,083 |
| 2023-12 | £1,207 | £649 | £805 | £765 | £791 | £837 | £1,110 | £1,994 | £1,254 | £1,088 |
| 2024-01 | £1,216 | £653 | £809 | £769 | £795 | £848 | £1,116 | £2,009 | £1,264 | £1,095 |
| 2024-02 | £1,227 | £658 | £817 | £775 | £801 | £853 | £1,126 | £2,034 | £1,272 | £1,102 |
| 2024-03 | £1,236 | £663 | £822 | £780 | £806 | £860 | £1,130 | £2,056 | £1,279 | £1,108 |
| 2024-04 | £1,243 | £666 | £829 | £785 | £812 | £862 | £1,136 | £2,071 | £1,285 | £1,114 |
| 2024-05 | £1,252 | £668 | £835 | £790 | £818 | £868 | £1,142 | £2,088 | £1,292 | £1,120 |
| 2024-06 | £1,260 | £669 | £844 | £794 | £827 | £876 | £1,149 | £2,100 | £1,301 | £1,127 |
| 2024-07 | £1,268 | £676 | £851 | £794 | £832 | £884 | £1,158 | £2,116 | £1,307 | £1,133 |
| 2024-08 | £1,275 | £682 | £855 | £798 | £837 | £892 | £1,167 | £2,130 | £1,314 | £1,133 |
| 2024-09 | £1,284 | £687 | £862 | £798 | £840 | £896 | £1,177 | £2,147 | £1,324 | £1,140 |
| 2024-10 | £1,295 | £694 | £870 | £802 | £849 | £901 | £1,185 | £2,172 | £1,335 | £1,146 |
| 2024-11 | £1,308 | £700 | £878 | £805 | £853 | £905 | £1,196 | £2,209 | £1,345 | £1,153 |
| 2024-12 | £1,316 | £706 | £883 | £806 | £856 | £910 | £1,203 | £2,221 | £1,351 | £1,161 |
| 2025-01 | £1,321 | £710 | £888 | £809 | £861 | £912 | £1,209 | £2,229 | £1,356 | £1,167 |
| 2025-02 | £1,327 | £715 | £893 | £813 | £868 | £917 | £1,217 | £2,235 | £1,362 | £1,167 |
| 2025-03 | £1,332 | £725 | £896 | £816 | £873 | £920 | £1,223 | £2,243 | £1,368 | £1,168 |
| 2025-04 | £1,335 | £728 | £899 | £816 | £877 | £923 | £1,228 | £2,246 | £1,373 | £1,171 |
| 2025-05 | £1,339 | £733 | £905 | £819 | £881 | £927 | £1,236 | £2,249 | £1,377 | £1,175 |
| 2025-06 | £1,344 | £734 | £911 | £822 | £885 | £931 | £1,240 | £2,252 | £1,384 | £1,181 |
| 2025-07 | £1,343 | £736 | £912 | £822 | £886 | £932 | £1,239 | £2,250 | £1,379 | £1,184 |
| 2025-08 | £1,348 | £745 | £916 | £825 | £889 | £935 | £1,245 | £2,253 | £1,384 | £1,192 |
| 2025-09 | £1,354 | £750 | £923 | £829 | £894 | £942 | £1,251 | £2,260 | £1,390 | £1,200 |
| 2025-10 | £1,360 | £756 | £927 | £833 | £897 | £948 | £1,255 | £2,265 | £1,393 | £1,214 |
| 2025-11 | £1,366 | £759 | £933 | £838 | £901 | £955 | £1,261 | £2,271 | £1,399 | £1,220 |
| 2025-12 | £1,367 | £762 | £937 | £841 | £901 | £957 | £1,266 | £2,268 | £1,402 | £1,221 |
| 2026-01 | £1,367 | £767 | £941 | £843 | £906 | £962 | £1,268 | £2,253 | £1,405 | £1,224 |
| 2026-02 | £1,374 | £770 | £944 | £848 | £909 | £962 | £1,269 | £2,273 | £1,409 | £1,227 |
| 2026-03 | £1,377 | £772 | £947 | £852 | £910 | £964 | £1,274 | £2,280 | £1,411 | £1,227 |
| 2026-04 | £1,381 | £776 | £951 | £855 | £911 | £964 | £1,278 | £2,290 | £1,414 | £1,231 |
| 2026-05 | £1,383 | £776 | £954 | £856 | £914 | £966 | £1,280 | £2,294 | £1,418 | £1,234 |
| 2026-06 | £1,388 | £781 | £961 | £862 | £918 | £971 | £1,281 | £2,302 | £1,415 | £1,237 |
Average rents were higher in every English region than in January 2015. London had the smallest rise at 45.7%, while the East Midlands had the largest at 62.2%.
| Region | Jan 2015 | Jun 2026 | Nominal change | Annual change to Jun 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North East | £533 | £781 | 46.5% | 6.3% |
| North West | £594 | £961 | 61.8% | 5.4% |
| Yorkshire and The Humber | £586 | £862 | 47.1% | 4.8% |
| East Midlands | £566 | £918 | 62.2% | 3.7% |
| West Midlands | £615 | £971 | 57.9% | 4.4% |
| East of England | £800 | £1,281 | 60.1% | 3.3% |
| London | £1,580 | £2,302 | 45.7% | 2.2% |
| South East | £932 | £1,415 | 51.8% | 2.3% |
| South West | £778 | £1,237 | 59.0% | 4.7% |
Source: Office for National Statistics licensed under the Open Government Licence v.3.0.
Among the English regions, the North East had the largest rise over the latest year at 6.3%, while London had the smallest at 2.2%. The 2015-to-2026 figures compare ONS rents rounded to the nearest pound. They show cash increases before inflation, not rental yields or investment returns.
Average Rents in the UK
Location remains the biggest divider. In June 2026, London had the highest average rent among the English regions at £2,302 a month. The North East was lowest at £781. At local level, Kensington and Chelsea was highest at £3,596, while Dumfries and Galloway was lowest at £552. Outside London, Oxford recorded the highest local average at £1,961.
Property size matters too. The ONS recorded an average of £1,577 for detached homes and £1,355 for flats and maisonettes. One-bedroom homes averaged £1,127, compared with £2,061 for homes with four or more bedrooms.
Why Different Rental Reports Show Different Averages
Two rent reports can both be accurate and still publish different figures. The ONS Price Index of Private Rents measures the whole privately rented stock. A new-let or advertised-rent index measures the smaller group of homes coming to market now, which usually responds faster when conditions change.
The English Housing Survey uses another definition. It includes both market and below-market private rents and recorded a mean private rent of £250 a week in England in 2024-25, up from £237 one year earlier. Its housing-cost data put London at £393 a week and the rest of England at £207. The date, geography and type of tenancy measured must therefore be checked before comparing headlines.
How Big Is the UK Rental Market?
The clearest current measure covers England rather than the whole UK. The English Housing Survey household profile estimates that England had 25.0 million households in 2024-25: 16.2 million owner occupied, 4.7 million privately rented and 4.1 million socially rented.
This matters because “how many people rent in the UK?” and “how many rental properties are there?” are not the same question. A household can contain several people, while dwelling-stock data can include vacant homes between tenancies. The responsible current headline is therefore 4.7 million privately renting households in England, not an invented UK population estimate.
London also has a different tenure mix from the rest of England. The survey estimated that 28% of London households privately rented, compared with 17% elsewhere in England. It cautioned that the apparent fall from the previous year's London estimate was not statistically significant.
UK Tenant Demand: What Agents See on the Ground
National rent inflation tells us what prices did across a large stock of homes. It does not show how many suitable applicants responded to one listing in one street.
At our North West letting agency, Abode, this is still happening now. Well-presented, realistically priced properties typically receive 15 to 20 serious enquiries soon after going live, and desirable homes are often let within a week or faster. One two-bedroom terrace in Edgeley received 18 viewing requests and 12 applications, and was let agreed within five days.
That is current local evidence, not a UK demand index. Rental demand needs to be checked at property level using achievable rents, competing listings, time to let, local employment and the depth of suitable applicant demand. Our guide to calculating rental demand sets out those indicators, while working out rental yield is a separate calculation based on income and purchase cost.
Applicants still sometimes offer more than the advertised rent or several months' rent in advance. The behaviour has not disappeared, but the rules in England have changed. Since 1 May 2026, government guidance says a landlord cannot accept or encourage an offer above the advertised rent. A landlord also cannot ask for, encourage or accept rent before the tenancy agreement is signed, and can ask for no more than one month's rent in advance after signing.
What the Renters' Rights Act Changed
The main private-tenancy changes under the Renters' Rights Act took effect in England on 1 May 2026. Current government guidance for tenants confirms that:
- most existing assured shorthold tenancies became assured periodic tenancies;
- new private tenancies are assured periodic and do not have a fixed end date;
- a landlord cannot accept or encourage an offer above the advertised rent;
- advance rent is limited to one month after the tenancy agreement is signed;
- rent can generally be increased once a year, not in the first 12 months of a new tenancy, using Form 4A with at least two months' notice; and
- the Section 21 no-fault eviction process no longer applies to the new regime.
These are England rules. Housing law differs in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, so a UK rental-market statistic should not be used as a shortcut for the legal position in each nation.
UK Rental Market Forecast: What the Data Can and Cannot Tell Us
The latest data shows direction, not destiny. UK annual rent inflation has generally slowed since December 2024 and stood at 3.3% in June 2026. At the same time, regional growth ranged from 6.3% in the North East to 2.2% in London. The release therefore shows positive rent inflation across every English region, but at different current rates.
It does not prove that rents, demand or investment returns will keep rising at the same rate. Interest costs, new supply, household incomes, local employment and regulation can all change the outcome. For that reason, a current rental-market report is context for a property decision, not a forecast of what one property will earn.
Investors comparing areas can use the current evidence alongside our best buy-to-let locations research. Manchester appears in the local-area comparison table below. Our London rental yields research covers a more specific question than this national market overview.
Average Private Rents by Local Area: June 2026
Our table uses the latest ONS local rent data to compare 140 selected local areas in England and Wales, plus the London region-wide estimate. It includes separate estimates for one-bedroom through to four-or-more-bedroom homes.
Among these locations, Kensington and Chelsea had the highest average rent at £3,596 a month. Hartlepool was lowest at £556. Wolverhampton recorded the largest annual increase at 11.3%, while Westminster recorded the largest fall at 2.5%.
These are area-wide averages across the private rented stock, not an achievable-rent estimate for one property. The row labelled London is the ONS region-wide estimate and therefore covers the 33 local authority rows listed with it. The City of London has no standalone ONS estimate and is shown as a dash. The latest two months are provisional and may be revised.
The tables below compare 141 selected geographies in England and Wales using ONS private-rent estimates for June 2026. This comprises 140 local areas plus the London regional estimate.
London
| Area | Average rent | Annual change | 1 bed | 2 bed | 3 bed | 4+ bed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kensington and Chelsea | £3,596 | -0.5% | £2,572 | £3,341 | £3,967 | £5,507 |
| Westminster | £3,168 | -2.5% | £2,522 | £3,274 | £3,857 | £5,383 |
| Islington | £2,843 | 5.4% | £2,156 | £2,672 | £2,976 | £4,196 |
| Camden | £2,791 | -0.5% | £2,032 | £2,593 | £3,024 | £3,933 |
| Hammersmith and Fulham | £2,778 | 0.7% | £1,965 | £2,577 | £2,942 | £4,120 |
| Hackney | £2,635 | 3.1% | £1,982 | £2,466 | £2,820 | £3,647 |
| Wandsworth | £2,611 | 3.7% | £1,920 | £2,441 | £2,787 | £3,794 |
| Lambeth | £2,523 | 5.1% | £1,880 | £2,340 | £2,680 | £3,717 |
| Tower Hamlets | £2,429 | 2.7% | £1,972 | £2,394 | £2,721 | £3,348 |
| Southwark | £2,402 | 2.1% | £1,820 | £2,279 | £2,650 | £3,502 |
| Richmond upon Thames | £2,310 | 4% | £1,715 | £2,200 | £2,656 | £3,872 |
| London | £2,302 | 2.2% | £1,740 | £2,205 | £2,607 | £3,594 |
| Haringey | £2,210 | 1.7% | £1,632 | £2,027 | £2,346 | £3,177 |
| Merton | £2,134 | 3.7% | £1,610 | £1,989 | £2,365 | £3,216 |
| Ealing | £2,067 | 1.3% | £1,595 | £1,992 | £2,357 | £3,225 |
| Brent | £2,010 | 0.6% | £1,575 | £1,932 | £2,266 | £3,052 |
| Greenwich | £1,967 | 5% | £1,541 | £1,906 | £2,210 | £2,962 |
| Hounslow | £1,941 | 2.9% | £1,574 | £1,937 | £2,228 | £3,065 |
| Barnet | £1,939 | 3.6% | £1,491 | £1,848 | £2,243 | £3,180 |
| Newham | £1,928 | 4.2% | £1,630 | £1,993 | £2,209 | £2,672 |
| Lewisham | £1,825 | 2.6% | £1,453 | £1,785 | £2,052 | £2,709 |
| Kingston upon Thames | £1,807 | -0.4% | £1,375 | £1,751 | £2,148 | £2,832 |
| Enfield | £1,803 | 4.6% | £1,403 | £1,741 | £2,069 | £2,774 |
| Harrow | £1,766 | 2.9% | £1,385 | £1,705 | £2,050 | £2,774 |
| Waltham Forest | £1,765 | 0.8% | £1,401 | £1,724 | £2,024 | £2,568 |
| Redbridge | £1,724 | 2.5% | £1,365 | £1,679 | £1,977 | £2,711 |
| Barking and Dagenham | £1,693 | 3.6% | £1,373 | £1,715 | £1,891 | £2,512 |
| Bromley | £1,678 | 2.7% | £1,306 | £1,635 | £1,982 | £2,918 |
| Croydon | £1,579 | 3.6% | £1,262 | £1,570 | £1,853 | £2,664 |
| Havering | £1,563 | 2.7% | £1,214 | £1,539 | £1,843 | £2,494 |
| Hillingdon | £1,561 | 1.7% | £1,245 | £1,577 | £1,901 | £2,622 |
| Sutton | £1,551 | 2% | £1,234 | £1,549 | £1,891 | £2,486 |
| Bexley | £1,531 | 3.1% | £1,223 | £1,520 | £1,858 | £2,417 |
| City of London | — | — | — | — | — | — |
North West
| Area | Average rent | Annual change | 1 bed | 2 bed | 3 bed | 4+ bed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manchester | £1,358 | 3.5% | £993 | £1,221 | £1,417 | £1,997 |
| Salford | £1,164 | 3.9% | £884 | £1,080 | £1,280 | £1,763 |
| Stockport | £1,105 | 5.2% | £802 | £1,023 | £1,250 | £1,726 |
| Bury | £968 | 3.1% | £685 | £887 | £1,063 | £1,560 |
| Oldham | £921 | 10.4% | £687 | £859 | £1,042 | £1,422 |
| Liverpool | £905 | 5.9% | £680 | £830 | £954 | £1,284 |
| Warrington | £890 | 4.9% | £666 | £827 | £1,005 | £1,442 |
| Bolton | £882 | 9.6% | £645 | £804 | £974 | £1,431 |
| Rochdale | £836 | 7.5% | £608 | £781 | £938 | £1,348 |
| Lancaster | £811 | 6.1% | £593 | £741 | £911 | £1,208 |
| Preston | £786 | 6.8% | £575 | £726 | £853 | £1,244 |
| Wigan | £744 | 7.2% | £540 | £697 | £835 | £1,141 |
| Blackpool | £710 | 6.9% | £495 | £644 | £783 | £1,036 |
| Burnley | £625 | 3% | £461 | £582 | £689 | £944 |
Yorkshire & The Humber
| Area | Average rent | Annual change | 1 bed | 2 bed | 3 bed | 4+ bed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| York | £1,186 | 5.7% | £866 | £1,070 | £1,265 | £1,730 |
| Leeds | £1,135 | 2.9% | £775 | £966 | £1,128 | £1,678 |
| Sheffield | £925 | 4.4% | £686 | £835 | £960 | £1,330 |
| Wakefield | £797 | 5.9% | £570 | £718 | £859 | £1,205 |
| Bradford | £750 | 4.4% | £553 | £680 | £814 | £1,117 |
| Doncaster | £690 | 5.7% | £490 | £633 | £752 | £1,071 |
| Barnsley | £686 | 6.7% | £499 | £620 | £741 | £1,072 |
| Rotherham | £680 | 4.3% | £484 | £610 | £737 | £1,066 |
East Midlands
| Area | Average rent | Annual change | 1 bed | 2 bed | 3 bed | 4+ bed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leicester | £1,025 | 2.8% | £718 | £895 | £1,047 | £1,459 |
| Nottingham | £1,009 | 2.7% | £732 | £910 | £1,046 | £1,455 |
| Lincoln | £948 | 6.1% | £664 | £833 | £996 | £1,368 |
| Derby | £855 | 1.8% | £604 | £772 | £930 | £1,294 |
| Mansfield | £784 | 3.4% | £546 | £702 | £839 | £1,148 |
| Chesterfield | £744 | 1.3% | £531 | £683 | £816 | £1,150 |
| Bolsover | £712 | 6.7% | £501 | £650 | £752 | £1,134 |
West Midlands
| Area | Average rent | Annual change | 1 bed | 2 bed | 3 bed | 4+ bed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solihull | £1,263 | 1.7% | £847 | £1,051 | £1,246 | £1,855 |
| Warwick | £1,239 | 1.9% | £882 | £1,103 | £1,327 | £1,905 |
| Birmingham | £1,090 | 3% | £823 | £995 | £1,124 | £1,566 |
| Rugby | £1,042 | 5.1% | £750 | £926 | £1,115 | £1,645 |
| Coventry | £1,018 | 2% | £758 | £911 | £1,064 | £1,451 |
| Bromsgrove | £982 | 1.4% | £709 | £889 | £1,079 | £1,588 |
| Worcester | £969 | 4.4% | £706 | £901 | £1,078 | £1,530 |
| Wolverhampton | £938 | 11.3% | £669 | £836 | £1,002 | £1,432 |
| Redditch | £928 | 5.9% | £648 | £838 | £1,001 | £1,376 |
| Tamworth | £919 | 0.7% | £670 | £823 | £999 | £1,430 |
| Walsall | £912 | 8.1% | £645 | £787 | £940 | £1,310 |
| Dudley | £852 | 4% | £607 | £776 | £935 | £1,241 |
| Stoke-on-Trent | £707 | 4.8% | £512 | £654 | £787 | £1,069 |
East of England
| Area | Average rent | Annual change | 1 bed | 2 bed | 3 bed | 4+ bed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Albans | £1,931 | 3.3% | £1,270 | £1,631 | £2,018 | £2,905 |
| Watford | £1,817 | 3.8% | £1,258 | £1,589 | £1,812 | £2,636 |
| Cambridge | £1,804 | 1.8% | £1,255 | £1,612 | £1,905 | £2,658 |
| Broxbourne | £1,675 | 2.5% | £1,125 | £1,442 | £1,769 | £2,483 |
| Brentwood | £1,615 | 2.8% | £1,103 | £1,394 | £1,711 | £2,403 |
| Harlow | £1,517 | 4.6% | £1,019 | £1,323 | £1,568 | £2,194 |
| Chelmsford | £1,447 | 5.1% | £1,065 | £1,299 | £1,551 | £2,235 |
| Stevenage | £1,430 | 4% | £1,021 | £1,312 | £1,540 | £2,114 |
| Basildon | £1,416 | 5.8% | £977 | £1,262 | £1,498 | £2,113 |
| Rochford | £1,297 | 5.2% | £888 | £1,166 | £1,424 | £1,867 |
| Southend-on-Sea | £1,292 | 5% | £869 | £1,104 | £1,344 | £1,845 |
| Braintree | £1,224 | 3.5% | £858 | £1,110 | £1,366 | £1,989 |
| Luton | £1,219 | 2.4% | £905 | £1,111 | £1,333 | £1,812 |
| Colchester | £1,203 | 3.4% | £824 | £1,069 | £1,307 | £1,806 |
| Bedford | £1,169 | 4% | £797 | £1,026 | £1,255 | £1,802 |
| Norwich | £1,149 | 1.2% | £783 | £977 | £1,143 | £1,589 |
| Maldon | £1,146 | 5.2% | £802 | £1,040 | £1,253 | £1,919 |
| Peterborough | £993 | 3.3% | £696 | £878 | £1,057 | £1,526 |
| Ipswich | £990 | 3.3% | £740 | £910 | £1,040 | £1,465 |
| Great Yarmouth | £839 | 8.1% | £589 | £769 | £931 | £1,322 |
South East
| Area | Average rent | Annual change | 1 bed | 2 bed | 3 bed | 4+ bed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oxford | £1,961 | 5.9% | £1,350 | £1,665 | £2,031 | £2,860 |
| Sevenoaks | £1,798 | 3.5% | £1,258 | £1,570 | £1,914 | £2,937 |
| Guildford | £1,731 | 5.7% | £1,181 | £1,536 | £1,859 | £2,523 |
| Reading | £1,573 | 1.9% | £1,115 | £1,392 | £1,669 | £2,354 |
| Slough | £1,572 | 2.8% | £1,146 | £1,432 | £1,719 | £2,451 |
| Dartford | £1,566 | 3.2% | £1,086 | £1,411 | £1,699 | £2,358 |
| Winchester | £1,504 | 3.6% | £1,013 | £1,315 | £1,618 | £2,244 |
| Crawley | £1,484 | 3.4% | £1,064 | £1,382 | £1,637 | £2,257 |
| Portsmouth | £1,367 | 2.2% | £900 | £1,133 | £1,357 | £1,960 |
| Milton Keynes | £1,340 | 3.6% | £974 | £1,213 | £1,447 | £2,085 |
| Chichester | £1,326 | 2.8% | £942 | £1,216 | £1,498 | £2,109 |
| Lewes | £1,323 | 6.1% | £917 | £1,208 | £1,495 | £2,156 |
| Worthing | £1,306 | 0.6% | £896 | £1,190 | £1,437 | £1,946 |
| Maidstone | £1,292 | 3.7% | £915 | £1,189 | £1,455 | £1,964 |
| Canterbury | £1,279 | 5.5% | £875 | £1,131 | £1,366 | £1,903 |
| Southampton | £1,253 | 3% | £878 | £1,111 | £1,352 | £1,886 |
| Ashford | £1,244 | 3.8% | £891 | £1,139 | £1,401 | £2,034 |
| Eastleigh | £1,213 | 3.4% | £860 | £1,110 | £1,360 | £1,868 |
| Fareham | £1,201 | 2.8% | £849 | £1,096 | £1,358 | £1,977 |
| Eastbourne | £1,164 | 0.3% | £816 | £1,074 | £1,300 | £1,789 |
| Gosport | £1,162 | 7.1% | £818 | £1,038 | £1,265 | £1,718 |
| Havant | £1,140 | 1.7% | £844 | £1,075 | £1,341 | £1,879 |
| Dover | £1,029 | 9.7% | £734 | £959 | £1,175 | £1,675 |
| Hastings | £1,006 | 1.6% | £696 | £896 | £1,098 | £1,512 |
South West
| Area | Average rent | Annual change | 1 bed | 2 bed | 3 bed | 4+ bed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exeter | £1,317 | 1.5% | £914 | £1,130 | £1,360 | £1,919 |
| Cheltenham | £1,254 | 3.6% | £865 | £1,090 | £1,346 | £1,899 |
| Gloucester | £1,109 | 7.2% | £740 | £965 | £1,204 | £1,646 |
| Swindon | £1,091 | 3.7% | £816 | £983 | £1,212 | £1,651 |
| Tewkesbury | £1,053 | 9.9% | £718 | £943 | £1,197 | £1,715 |
| Stroud | £1,039 | 6.2% | £742 | £959 | £1,174 | £1,657 |
| Plymouth | £998 | 5.2% | £701 | £880 | £1,058 | £1,485 |
Wales
| Area | Average rent | Annual change | 1 bed | 2 bed | 3 bed | 4+ bed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cardiff | £1,162 | 3.4% | £897 | £1,073 | £1,194 | £1,685 |
| Newport | £954 | 2.7% | £694 | £859 | £959 | £1,358 |
| Swansea | £843 | 5.8% | £680 | £789 | £887 | £1,264 |
| Conwy | £786 | 1.6% | £581 | £726 | £851 | £1,221 |
| Wrexham | £761 | 2.6% | £590 | £703 | £830 | £1,212 |
| Bridgend | £754 | 8.2% | £555 | £693 | £806 | £1,131 |
| Merthyr Tydfil | £754 | -0.5% | £552 | £640 | £722 | £1,091 |
| Caerphilly | £743 | 8.6% | £548 | £685 | £772 | £1,092 |
North East
| Area | Average rent | Annual change | 1 bed | 2 bed | 3 bed | 4+ bed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Newcastle upon Tyne | £1,206 | 9.9% | £808 | £999 | £1,184 | £1,825 |
| Gateshead | £793 | 4.8% | £583 | £714 | £832 | £1,183 |
| Sunderland | £703 | 4.6% | £520 | £644 | £768 | £1,075 |
| Middlesbrough | £702 | 5.7% | £502 | £637 | £757 | £997 |
| Darlington | £682 | 6.1% | £491 | £622 | £758 | £1,082 |
| Hartlepool | £556 | 0.1% | £399 | £506 | £605 | £803 |
For readers moving from national figures to available properties, our investment property, buy to let property for sale and below market value properties pages explain how we currently help buyers. Our wider property investment research covers more than 160 UK towns and cities.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in the UK?
The average UK monthly private rent was £1,388 in June 2026, according to the ONS Price Index of Private Rents. That was £44, or 3.3%, higher than one year earlier. The latest two UK months are provisional and can be revised.
How many people rent in the UK?
The latest English Housing Survey estimates 4.7 million privately renting households in England, equal to 19% of English households. That is a household count, not a count of individual people, and it should not be relabelled as a whole-UK figure.
Is the UK rental market growing?
Average UK private rents grew by 3.3% in the year to June 2026. The number of privately renting households in England has doubled since the early 2000s, but the sector's share of all households has stayed close to 19% or 20% since 2013-14. Prices are growing; the tenure share is broadly stable.
Where are rents rising fastest in England?
The North East had the fastest annual rent growth among English regions in June 2026 at 6.3%. London had the slowest at 2.2%, but still had the highest average monthly rent at £2,302.
Why do UK rent reports publish different figures?
They often measure different groups. The ONS PIPR covers the whole privately rented stock, including existing and new tenancies. Commercial reports may focus on newly advertised or newly agreed lets, while the English Housing Survey includes both market and below-market private rents. Always compare the measure, date and geography before comparing the number.
Conclusion
The current UK rental market is better described as large, still growing in price and sharply local than as a single national boom. The latest official figures put average rent at £1,388 a month and annual growth at 3.3%, while the best current size estimate is 4.7 million privately renting households in England.
The useful work starts after those headlines: separating whole-stock rents from new-let figures and checking the local supply-demand balance. That gives landlords, tenants and investors a clearer picture without turning a national average into a promise about one property.
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