Headline evidence · Housing · England · 2025

A typical home in England costs 7.6 times annual pay, more than double 1997.

Median price over median full-time pay at England’s workplaces; 1997 earnings are annualised from weekly figures. Private renters spend about 36% of their household’s income before tax on rent, and 177,530 children are in temporary accommodation (March 2026, provisional).

Proposed outcome: Help more people find affordable, secure homes and prevent homelessness. What could change →

Geography
England
Evidence period
2025
Evidence status
Published statistics
Editorial review
Reviewed 8 October 2026

The short version

How many years of pay does a typical home cost?

A home costs 7.6 times annual earnings, against 3.5 in 1997

England · 1997 to 2025 (prices: year to September; earnings: April)

1996–2026 · recorded figures.

House price / annual earnings2×4×6×8×10×axis does not start at 02000201020207.6×1997: 3.5×2021 peak 9.1×

Buying a home takes a much larger share of pay than in 1997. The recent improvement does not tell us whether deposits or monthly mortgage payments are affordable.

Show the workings — A home costs 7.6 times annual earnings, against 3.5 in 1997

England · median house price ÷ median full-time annual earnings. The early earnings basis differs in 1997–98.

Prices rose much faster than pay before 2007. The ratio peaked at 9.1× in 2021 and has since fallen to 7.6×. That does not measure the deposit or monthly mortgage payment.

Geography:
England — Residential property sales; full-time employees, workplace-based
Measure:
Multiple of annual earnings (ratio)
Period:
1997 to 2025 (prices: year to September; earnings: April)
Status:
Official statistics; the latest year may be revised when new earnings data arrive
Calculation:
As published by ONS (Table 1c). Values shown to two decimal places in the table; one decimal in text.
Compare with:
2000 baseline (4.2); 1997, the first year (3.5); the 2021 peak (9.1)
Not included / breaks:
Earnings for 1997–98 are annualised weekly figures; against 1999, the first year of annual earnings, the ratio is 1.9 times, so “more than double 1997” rests on a start year with a different earnings basis. The ratio is an individual full-time earnings comparison: it is not the years a household must save, and not a mortgage test — mortgage rates and deposits are not in it.

Source: ONS, Housing affordability in England and Wales: 2025, dataset Table 1c (released 26 March 2026).

View the data as a table
YearRatio
19973.54
19983.67
19993.96
20004.19
20014.50
20025.12
20035.93
20046.60
20056.79
20066.95
20077.15
20086.97
20096.40
20106.85
20116.80
20126.77
20136.76
20147.09
20157.54
20167.72
20177.91
20188.04
20197.88
20207.86
20219.06
20228.56
20238.45
20247.84
20257.63

Two supporting measures

Budget 2026 · 28 October 2026

What the Budget means for housing

11

Budget measures on this topic

£90m

Net cost, 2026–27

£120m

Net cost, 2029–30

Biggest single-year effect of each measure · red costs money, teal saves or raises it

  • Rough Sleeping: invest2028–29−£580m
  • Property Income2028–29+£575m
  • Social and Affordable Homes Programme2028–29−£500m
  • Rough Sleeping: reprioritise2027–28+£405m
  • First Time Buyer ISA2031–32+£235m
  • Your First Home2028–29+£95m
All 11 measures on this topic
The Budget in 2 minutes →Is it being delivered? →

Treasury costings certified by the OBR, not measured results. Topic links are UK Facts’ classification.

The evidence

Buying

Three hurdles: the price, the deposit and the mortgage

A lower house-price ratio does not necessarily mean an affordable monthly payment. Start with the price, then follow the money needed to buy.

Annual data: House prices relative to annual pay

England; comparable published observations begin in 1997. The 1997–98 denominators annualise weekly earnings; later years use annual earnings. No 1996 observation is supplied. The ratio excludes interest rates and deposits. A dash means no comparable observation is supplied; it is not zero. These are population medians, not a particular household’s income or mortgage.

1996–2026; Median house price / median full-time annual workplace earnings. No change is calculated across definition or assessment breaks.

House prices relative to annual pay; Median house price / median full-time annual workplace earnings
YearPrice / earnings
1996No comparable observations supplied
19973.5
19983.7
19994
20004.2
20014.5
20025.1
20035.9
20046.6
20056.8
20067
20077.2
20087
20096.4
20106.9
20116.8
20126.8
20136.8
20147.1
20157.5
20167.7
20177.9
20188
20197.9
20207.9
20219.1
20228.6
20238.5
20247.8
20257.6
2026No comparable observations supplied

How much did first-time buyers borrow against income?

First-time buyers borrow 3.6 times income, compared with 2.4 in 1996

UK · loan-to-income ratio for completed first-time buyer mortgages. Two sources; not one continuous series.

United Kingdom · Archive: 1996–2010; ONS/FCA: 2006–2025

1996–2026 · recorded figures.

Loan / borrower income2.0×2.5×3.0×3.5×4.0×axis does not start at 02000201020203.1×3.6×

Archive source: Table 517 (XLS). Survey changes in 2003 and 2005; sources overlap in 2006–10.

The archive records 2.42× in 1996; the current ONS series records 3.62× in 2025. Their methods differ. Unlike the house-price chart, this compares the loan with the borrower’s income, which may include joint applicants.
Show the workings — First-time buyers borrow 3.6 times income, compared with 2.4 in 1996
Geography:
United Kingdom — First-time buyer mortgage sales, as defined by each source
Measure:
Mortgage advance ÷ borrower income
Period:
Archive: 1996–2010; ONS/FCA: 2006–2025
Status:
Current series: official statistics in development; archive: historical mortgage survey
Calculation:
Published annual loan-to-income ratios. Archived Table 517 is plotted separately with its overlapping years; no percentage change is calculated between sources.
Not included / breaks:
Archive: sample enlarged in 2003; collection moved to the Regulated Mortgage Survey during 2005. Since 1988 its ratios are averaged case by case. Current data use FCA PSD001; first-time buyer definitions may include previous owners who are not selling another property. These figures describe successful borrowers, not the lending limit or households unable to buy.

Source: ONS, First-time buyer mortgage sales by local authority: UK, 2b, United Kingdom.

View the data as a table
YearArchived Table 517ONS/FCA Table 2b
19962.42—
19972.43—
19982.41—
19992.44—
20002.46—
20012.52—
20022.679—
20032.96—
20043.36—
20053.39—
20063.23.25
20073.353.39
20083.2473.28
20093.0173.11
20103.0733.23
2011—3.21
2012—3.27
2013—3.34
2014—3.43
2015—3.44
2016—3.56
2017—3.62
2018—3.66
2019—3.67
2020—3.71
2021—3.75
2022—3.79
2023—3.47
2024—3.47
2025—3.62

The next hurdle: cash up front

A much bigger purchase — and a bigger cash hurdle

UK first-time buyers · nominal pounds. The archive gives means; the current release gives medians. The different measures provide context, not a precise growth rate.

1996

£48,693

Mean purchase price

Mean mortgage
£43,867
Mean loan-to-value
90.11%

Deposit illustration

£4,816

Using this price and 9.89% cash; not the observed average deposit.

2025

£240,000

Median purchase price

Median mortgage
£195,720
Median loan-to-value
85.62%

Deposit illustration

£34,512

Using this price and 14.38% cash; not the observed average deposit.

Deposits were not fixed at 10%. The median first-time buyer LTV was 90% in 2007. Some products went further: Northern Rock’s Together combined a mortgage with an unsecured loan, allowing total borrowing up to 125% of the property value.

Sources, definitions and deposit assumptions

Successful UK mortgage buyers only, not all homes or people unable to buy. Archive: Table 513 (price and advance) and Table 517 (case-level LTV). Current: ONS/FCA tables 2a, 3b and 3c. Means and medians are not interchangeable. The cash illustration applies each period’s published LTV to its price, assumes valuation equals price, and excludes fees and taxes. Separate medians must not be subtracted to claim a median deposit.

Archived prices and loansArchived LTVONS mortgage tablesParliament: Together lending

High-LTV products were not the typical loan and do not, on their own, explain the financial crisis. Northern Rock also depended on wholesale funding that dried up.

Commons Library: Northern Rock

Separate savings illustration: Under the same two-earner saving rule, a 10% deposit takes 21 months in 1997 and 46 in 2025: 25 extra months (+116%). A fictional family and an illustrative calculation using ONS data.

The saving model, assumptions and illustrated story →

What does the size of your deposit change?

Smaller deposits can mean higher mortgage rates

UK · quoted two-year fixed rates, 1996–Sept 2026. LTV is the share of the property price borrowed.

United Kingdom · January 1996 to Sept 2026

1996–2026 · recorded figures.

Quoted annual rate (%)0.0%5.0%10.0%20002010202075% LTV 5.1%90% LTV 5.4%95% LTV 5.7%
Compare the lines at the same date: a larger deposit often buys a lower rate as well as a smaller loan. These are product quotes, not total mortgage costs; fees, term and eligibility also matter.
Show the workings — Smaller deposits can mean higher mortgage rates
Geography:
United Kingdom
Measure:
Annual interest rate (%)
Period:
January 1996 to Sept 2026
Status:
Bank of England statistics
Calculation:
Monthly published quoted rates. Missing observations remain gaps. No interpolation, fees or APRC adjustment.
Not included / breaks:
These are quoted product rates, not rates actually paid by all borrowers or personalised offers. The product mix can change. The 90% LTV record starts in May 2008; the 95% record has gaps, including periods with limited product availability. Blank cells do not mean zero interest.

Source: Bank of England, quoted household interest rates, IUMBV34 (75%), IUMB482 (90%), IUM2WTL (95%).

View the data as a table
Month75% LTV (%)90% LTV (%)95% LTV (%)
Jan 19966.7Not available6.7
Feb 19966.65Not available6.65
Mar 19966.49Not available6.49
Apr 19966.62Not available6.62
May 19967.01Not available7.01
Jun 19967.06Not available7.06
Jul 19967.12Not available7.12
Aug 19967.09Not available7.09
Sept 19967.06Not available7.06
Oct 19966.96Not available6.96
Nov 19966.94Not available6.94
Dec 19967.24Not available7.27
Jan 19977.29Not available7.35
Feb 19977.35Not available7.41
Mar 19977.11Not available7.18
Apr 19977.24Not available7.3
May 19977.15Not available7.2
Jun 19977.14Not available7.19
Jul 19977.2Not available7.23
Aug 19977.17Not available7.19
Sept 19977.06Not available7.09
Oct 19977.07Not available7.1
Nov 19977.04Not available7.06
Dec 19977.13Not available7.33
Jan 19987.13Not available7.33
Feb 19987.08Not available7.32
Mar 19987.02Not available7.26
Apr 19987.14Not available7.28
May 19987.12Not available7.35
Jun 19986.94Not available7.24
Jul 19987.08Not available7.35
Aug 19987.33Not available7.55
Sept 19987.27Not available7.49
Oct 19986.91Not available7.01
Nov 19986.66Not available6.82
Dec 19986.42Not available6.54
Jan 19995.9Not available5.97
Feb 19995.78Not available5.88
Mar 19995.64Not available5.95
Apr 19995.71Not available5.89
May 19995.72Not available5.96
Jun 19995.89Not available6
Jul 19996Not available6.17
Aug 19996.19Not available6.36
Sept 19996.22Not available6.45
Oct 19996.5Not available6.79
Nov 19996.6Not available6.77
Dec 19996.52Not available6.84
Jan 20006.78Not available6.9
Feb 20006.79Not available6.97
Mar 20006.45Not available6.68
Apr 20006.31Not available6.64
May 20006.39Not available6.52
Jun 20006.46Not available6.65
Jul 20006.37Not available6.59
Aug 20006.35Not available6.58
Sept 20006.31Not available6.6
Oct 20006.05Not available6.45
Nov 20006.06Not available6.29
Dec 20006.03Not available6.22
Jan 20015.78Not available6
Feb 20015.7Not available5.85
Mar 20015.68Not available5.82
Apr 20015.63Not available5.76
May 20015.65Not available5.71
Jun 20015.72Not available5.82
Jul 20015.92Not available6.16
Aug 20015.58Not available6
Sept 20015.39Not available5.59
Oct 20015.06Not available5.53
Nov 20014.84Not available5.31
Dec 20014.98Not available5.21
Jan 20025.06Not available5.34
Feb 20025.14Not available5.47
Mar 20025.22Not available5.47
Apr 20025.35Not available5.62
May 20025.43Not available5.67
Jun 20025.41Not available5.65
Jul 20025.3Not available5.55
Aug 20024.59Not available4.92
Sept 20024.5Not available4.72
Oct 20024.43Not available4.69
Nov 20024.45Not available4.68
Dec 20024.62Not available4.86
Jan 20034.5Not available4.69
Feb 20034.14Not available4.36
Mar 20034.06Not available4.2
Apr 20034.06Not available4.31
May 20033.91Not available4.18
Jun 20033.85Not available4.04
Jul 20033.87Not available4.08
Aug 20034.32Not available4.63
Sept 20034.56Not available4.86
Oct 20034.98Not available5.21
Nov 20035.1Not available5.34
Dec 20035.05Not available5.32
Jan 20044.95Not available5.19
Feb 20044.89Not available5.12
Mar 20044.9Not available5.17
Apr 20045.11Not available5.37
May 20045.18Not available5.33
Jun 20045.52Not available5.76
Jul 20045.53Not available5.69
Aug 20045.47Not available5.66
Sept 20045.33Not available5.63
Oct 20045.29Not available5.6
Nov 20045.06Not available5.42
Dec 20045.07Not available5.31
Jan 20054.99Not available5.3
Feb 20055.07Not available5.31
Mar 20055.2Not available5.48
Apr 20055.16Not available5.43
May 20054.91Not available5.27
Jun 20054.77Not available5.01
Jul 20054.59Not available4.76
Aug 20054.56Not available4.75
Sept 20054.52Not available4.74
Oct 20054.54Not available4.78
Nov 20054.74Not available4.98
Dec 20054.74Not available5.04
Jan 20064.62Not available4.96
Feb 20064.71Not available5.01
Mar 20064.72Not available5.04
Apr 20064.77Not available5.03
May 20065Not available5.23
Jun 20065Not available5.31
Jul 20065.01Not available5.39
Aug 20065.1Not available5.42
Sept 20065.1Not available5.44
Oct 20064.99Not available5.39
Nov 20065.2Not available5.51
Dec 20065.15Not available5.44
Jan 20075.32Not available5.68
Feb 20075.46Not available5.82
Mar 20075.55Not available5.88
Apr 20075.62Not available5.86
May 20075.7Not available6.05
Jun 20075.98Not available6.26
Jul 20076.07Not available6.33
Aug 20076.11Not available6.54
Sept 20076.05Not available6.32
Oct 20076.11Not available6.44
Nov 20076.09Not available6.47
Dec 20076.06Not available6.54
Jan 20085.97Not available6.41
Feb 20085.74Not available6.52
Mar 20085.8Not available6.59
Apr 20086.06Not available6.91
May 20086.266.44Not available
Jun 20086.66.67Not available
Jul 20086.356.94Not available
Aug 20086.086.8Not available
Sept 20085.966.56Not available
Oct 20085.836.41Not available
Nov 20085.16.58Not available
Dec 20084.776.69Not available
Jan 20094.356.13Not available
Feb 20094.355.97Not available
Mar 20093.98Not availableNot available
Apr 20094.02Not availableNot available
May 20093.98Not availableNot available
Jun 20094.456.47Not available
Jul 20094.426.47Not available
Aug 20094.436.44Not available
Sept 20094.476.42Not available
Oct 20094.326.55Not available
Nov 20094.16.62Not available
Dec 20094.056.64Not available
Jan 20103.976.61Not available
Feb 20103.886.62Not available
Mar 20103.926.61Not available
Apr 20103.826.65Not available
May 20103.786.63Not available
Jun 20103.676.6Not available
Jul 20103.776.52Not available
Aug 20103.746.35Not available
Sept 20103.86.27Not available
Oct 20103.686.14Not available
Nov 20103.536.16Not available
Dec 20103.56.15Not available
Jan 20113.76.18Not available
Feb 20113.75.92Not available
Mar 20113.685.91Not available
Apr 20113.665.98Not available
May 20113.515.93Not available
Jun 20113.365.77Not available
Jul 20113.145.75Not available
Aug 201135.5Not available
Sept 20112.925.27Not available
Oct 20113.045.31Not available
Nov 20113.145.37Not available
Dec 20113.225.45Not available
Jan 20123.275.53Not available
Feb 20123.375.6Not available
Mar 20123.445.76Not available
Apr 20123.665.79Not available
May 20123.686.07Not available
Jun 20123.745.7Not available
Jul 20123.675.83Not available
Aug 20123.695.93Not available
Sept 20123.675.85Not available
Oct 20123.495.64Not available
Nov 20123.435.64Not available
Dec 20123.355.39Not available
Jan 20133.114.86Not available
Feb 20132.924.73Not available
Mar 20132.94.67Not available
Apr 20132.874.67Not available
May 20132.694.61Not available
Jun 20132.634.59Not available
Jul 20132.624.58Not available
Aug 20132.584.52Not available
Sept 20132.544.56Not available
Oct 20132.484.425.1
Nov 20132.444.415.04
Dec 20132.44.365.08
Jan 20142.374.345.05
Feb 20142.384.395.05
Mar 20142.374.385.06
Apr 20142.544.485.14
May 20142.564.495.2
Jun 20142.64.55.32
Jul 20142.544.475.33
Aug 20142.544.345.28
Sept 20142.464.235.28
Oct 20142.213.985.2
Nov 20142.173.845.27
Dec 20142.083.895.27
Jan 20152.013.714.74
Feb 20151.963.774.67
Mar 20151.993.744.72
Apr 20151.953.534.58
May 20151.93.534.57
Jun 20151.833.344.39
Jul 20151.873.264.32
Aug 20151.953.154.36
Sept 20151.913.034.22
Oct 20151.872.894.22
Nov 20151.922.884.13
Dec 20151.92.874.06
Jan 20161.932.853.95
Feb 20161.952.883.99
Mar 20161.92.873.92
Apr 20161.842.713.92
May 20161.912.753.93
Jun 20161.752.643.88
Jul 20161.722.573.85
Aug 20161.692.553.88
Sept 20161.592.423.84
Oct 20161.522.423.73
Nov 20161.432.493.66
Dec 20161.452.533.62
Jan 20171.452.53.62
Feb 20171.422.453.8
Mar 20171.372.483.99
Apr 20171.352.434.04
May 20171.492.54.19
Jun 20171.482.54.2
Jul 20171.412.374.07
Aug 20171.432.334.02
Sept 20171.42.314.01
Oct 20171.552.364.02
Nov 20171.612.363.97
Dec 20171.572.213.89
Jan 20181.542.173.82
Feb 20181.492.213.82
Mar 20181.532.23.77
Apr 20181.722.363.9
May 20181.742.343.95
Jun 20181.742.373.95
Jul 20181.752.33.78
Aug 20181.752.283.61
Sept 20181.712.123.38
Oct 20181.82.273.33
Nov 20181.752.283.23
Dec 20181.732.243.18
Jan 20191.722.233.04
Feb 20191.72.172.99
Mar 20191.72.172.97
Apr 20191.662.152.92
May 20191.652.192.93
Jun 20191.642.182.95
Jul 20191.612.152.96
Aug 20191.592.12.96
Sept 20191.552.092.99
Oct 20191.472.072.99
Nov 20191.412.082.99
Dec 20191.422.073
Jan 20201.412.053.02
Feb 20201.41.973.02
Mar 20201.41.943.02
Apr 20201.381.893.07
May 20201.421.963.17
Jun 20201.412.192.72
Jul 20201.452.52.58
Aug 20201.62.783.78
Sept 20201.753.293.95
Oct 20201.943.524.13
Nov 20201.923.724.2
Dec 20201.863.754.2
Jan 20211.753.634.16
Feb 20211.613.494.1
Mar 20211.563.384.16
Apr 20211.493.384.01
May 20211.473.313.88
Jun 20211.393.093.74
Jul 20211.292.793.53
Aug 20211.232.483.43
Sept 20211.22.163.22
Oct 20211.292.042.98
Nov 20211.532.022.91
Dec 20211.571.952.77
Jan 20221.641.952.73
Feb 20221.782.032.72
Mar 20222.142.382.8
Apr 20222.352.582.95
May 20222.632.853.2
Jun 20222.873.153.48
Jul 20223.483.693.96
Aug 20223.63.934.14
Sept 20224.174.484.67
Oct 20225.996.26.42
Nov 20225.986.286.59
Dec 20225.4366.3
Jan 20235.145.666.02
Feb 20234.795.355.86
Mar 20234.745.235.77
Apr 20234.65.075.65
May 20234.725.085.67
Jun 20235.495.756.28
Jul 20236.226.496.88
Aug 20236.186.576.93
Sept 20235.916.376.75
Oct 20235.66.066.6
Nov 20235.285.816.38
Dec 20235.035.696.18
Jan 20244.715.445.87
Feb 20244.765.265.73
Mar 20244.965.395.83
Apr 20244.985.475.87
May 20245.195.666.04
Jun 20245.165.656.07
Jul 20244.995.615.97
Aug 20244.85.545.9
Sept 20244.585.45.76
Oct 20244.45.35.61
Nov 20244.535.415.69
Dec 20244.65.375.7
Jan 20254.635.355.69
Feb 20254.655.265.64
Mar 20254.545.095.44
Apr 20254.424.965.29
May 20254.184.825.1
Jun 20254.284.85.1
Jul 20254.214.625.05
Aug 20254.14.555
Sept 20254.194.585.03
Oct 20254.24.575
Nov 20254.064.494.91
Dec 20253.974.424.83
Jan 20263.934.364.8
Feb 20263.974.344.82
Mar 20264.454.795.23
Apr 20265.145.465.8
May 20264.915.315.63
Jun 20264.85.185.54
Jul 20264.795.075.48
Aug 20264.925.165.52
Sept 20265.135.375.7

Scroll the table sideways to see every column.

Social housing

Lower rents need homes people can actually access

Social rent offers a different route to a settled home. Increasing that supply matters alongside helping buyers.

Council rents: lower costs, limited access

Councils and housing associations both provide social housing. “Council” describes the landlord; Social Rent and Affordable Rent describe how the rent is set. Access depends on eligibility, allocation and homes becoming available.

Council rent: source and definition

Pages 11 and 14; England general-needs Social Rent, excluding service charges. 2024 derived from £107.88 less published £8.13 change. Stock revisions were not applied to earlier rents. These stock-wide net rents differ from the new-letting geometric means below; they are not a matched-home comparison.

Regulator of Social Housing · 2024–25 stock and rents

Council Social Rent · England

£107.88 / week

Average general-needs net rent
31 March 2025 · service charges extra

£99.75 in 2024 → £107.88

Social-rent additions remain below the 1990s

-71.1%1996–97–2024–25England · homes per financial year
025K50K19962026
42,465 → 12,2671996–97–2024–25

12,267 added in 2024–25. These are gross additions: sales and demolitions also affect the stock.

Sources, definitions and data

Live Table 1000, revised 25 June 2026. Social Rent excludes Affordable Rent and shared ownership. Some London grant reporting cannot separate social rent from London Affordable Rent; see source notes. Financial years are plotted at their starting year.

MHCLG · Live Table 1000
YearHomes
1996–9742,465
1997–9835,780
1998–9933,579
1999–0028,794
2000–0127,087
2001–0226,810
2002–0323,955
2003–0422,661
2004–0521,674
2005–0623,633
2006–0724,683
2007–0829,643
2008–0931,122
2009–1033,491
2010–1139,562
2011–1237,677
2012–1317,580
2013–1410,924
2014–159,331
2015–166,803
2016–175,827
2017–187,049
2018–196,363
2019–206,766
2020–216,051
2021–227,661
2022–239,458
2023–2410,325
2024–2512,267

Two rent labels, different costs

England · average weekly rent for new social-sector lettings, 2024–25

Social Rent£113 / week

Affordable Rent£160 / week

“Affordable Rent” is a policy category, not a promise that every household can afford it. These rents describe new lettings, not every existing tenancy.

Sources, definitions and data

MHCLG CORE lettings statistics, geometric means across new lets (general needs and supported housing), section 7.2. Differences also reflect where homes are and their size; this is not a matched-property comparison.

Social housing lettings · rents
TenureAverage weekly rent
Social Rent£113
Affordable Rent£160

Delivery and safety · England; Housing Benefit changes also concern Scotland and Wales

Support must come with the home

Supported housing is more than a bed. Residents may need help to live independently; weak oversight can leave them paying for support they do not receive.

  1. Assess the resident’s needs
  2. Check accommodation and support
  3. Protect residents when standards fail
What this means, sources and limits

The June 2026 government response sets out licensing and support standards. These are implementation proposals, not evidence that poor provision has already been eliminated. Councils need inspection capacity and safe alternatives when provision closes.

Process illustration; no effect sizes implied. MHCLG and DWP: Supported Housing regulation: government response · 2026-06-19 · Introduction; licensing; exemptions; next steps.

The weakness in the UK SWOT →Related action and its limits →

Age and condition

The homes we already have need care too

New supply is only part of the task. Older buildings, damp and unsafe homes need sustained repairs and investment.

Older homes remain most common in private renting

England · homes built before 1919 · 2016–17 → 2024

Private rented

35%2016–1732%2024

32 in every 100 homes in 2024.
3 percentage points lower than 2016–17.

Owner occupied

21%2016–1720%2024

20 in every 100 homes in 2024.
1 percentage point lower than 2016–17.

Social rented

7%2016–176%2024

6 in every 100 homes in 2024.
1 percentage point lower than 2016–17.

Age alone does not mean poor condition. These snapshots show the changing mix of homes in each tenure, not the same homes followed over time.

Sources, definitions and data

Rounded survey shares; differences are descriptive, not tests of statistical significance. The earlier ONS release labels the period financial year ending 2017; its England analysis reports 35% private, 21% owner occupied and 7% social rented. The latest EHS dwelling survey is 2024 (32%, 20%, 6%). No annual path between snapshots is inferred. Each square is one percentage point of the 2024 stock.

ONS · UK private rented sector, England, Figure 38 and accompanying textEnglish Housing Survey · Figure 1.8, Annex Table 1.6

Homes need to be safe as well as affordable

Survey-based evidence
English Housing Survey — dwelling conditionsEngland · physical survey estimates; 2020–21 estimates are modelled, as marked on the chart.

One period, one scale: 2006–2024. Conditions improved overall, but damp has risen again in recent years.

Non-decent homes

34.9% → 15.4%

2006 → 2024 · -19.5 percentage points

4 million homes in 2024

Homes with damp

9.8% → 5.5%

2006 → 2024 · -4.3 percentage points

1.4 million homes in 2024

Share of dwellings (%)01020304020062010201520202024

Teal solid: non-decent · rust dashed: damp. Hollow dots: modelled 2020–21 estimates. Categories overlap; do not add the totals.

Evidence, sources and data — including the longer damp record

The current non-decent definition starts in 2006, so both chart comparisons start there. The full damp record below begins in 1996, with gaps before 2003. We retain it without using a different headline baseline. Energy-efficiency assessment methods also changed over the record. Survey estimates of dwellings. Categories overlap and must not be added. The charts use published percentages; headline dwelling counts are rounded. Pandemic estimates for 2020–21 were modelled, with a different survey basis.

English Housing Survey · Annex 1.4 and 1.9
England · percentage of dwellings
YearNon-decent (%)Damp (%)Basis
1996Not comparable12.8Survey
2001Not comparable9.6Survey
2003Not comparable10.6Survey
2004Not comparable10.4Survey
2005Not comparable10.1Survey
200634.99.8Survey
200734.78.6Survey
200833.17.8Survey
200930.18.1Survey
201026.56.5Survey
201123.64.6Survey
201221.84.3Survey
201320.64.3Survey
201419.84.3Survey
201519.44.4Survey
201619.94.2Survey
201718.83.7Survey
201817.83.3Survey
2019173.4Survey
2020154Modelled
202114.33.8Modelled
202214.74.1Survey
2023155.2Survey
202415.45.5Survey
Housing weaknesses in the UK SWOT →

Building safety also matters: unsafe-cladding remediation and other housing weaknesses →

Why it is happening

Availability

More buying power needs more suitable homes

Credit can help someone compete for a home. It cannot by itself create one. Supply, location and tenure determine the choices available.

How many homes are being added?

+58.0%2000–01–2024–25 · provisionalEngland · net additional dwellings per year
0150K300K19962026
132,000 → 208,600 (provisional)2000–01–2024–25

Net additions include conversions and changes of use, less demolitions. Latest year provisional. This is not the number currently for sale.

Sources, definitions and data

Live Table 118, England total, 2000–01 onwards. Includes Census adjustments; the component collection begins in 2006–07. Earlier figures are less reliable. Financial years are plotted at their starting year.

MHCLG · Live Table 118 (ODS)
YearNet homesStatus
2000–01132,000Published estimate
2001–02146,704Published estimate
2002–03159,875Published estimate
2003–04170,969Published estimate
2004–05185,553Published estimate
2005–06202,653Published estimate
2006–07214,936Published estimate
2007–08223,534Published estimate
2008–09182,767Published estimate
2009–10144,870Published estimate
2010–11137,394Published estimate
2011–12140,785Published estimate
2012–13130,611Published estimate
2013–14142,494Published estimate
2014–15176,582Published estimate
2015–16195,534Published estimate
2016–17223,234Published estimate
2017–18228,170Published estimate
2018–19247,766Published estimate
2019–20248,591Published estimate
2020–21217,754Published estimate
2021–22234,462Published estimate
2022–23234,292Published estimate
2023–24221,409Published estimate
2024–25208,600Provisional
From permission to a finished home →

The sharpest consequence: no settled home

177,530 children were in council-arranged temporary accommodation in March 2026. The household trend below counts their families, not additional people.

+185.3%Mar 1998–Mar 2026England · households
075K150K19962026
47,520 → 135,580Mar 1998–Mar 2026
Latest quarter provisional. This does not count all homelessness, such as rough sleeping or sofa-surfing.
Sources and data

Households placed in temporary accommodation by councils under homelessness duties, at the end of each quarter. It does not count people sleeping rough, sofa-surfing, or not known to a council. The Homelessness Reduction Act 2017 (in force April 2018) changed the duties under which people are placed.

Source dataset →
PeriodhouseholdsStatus
Mar 199847,520Outturn
Jun 199849,390Outturn
Sep 199852,510Outturn
Dec 199853,790Outturn
Mar 199956,580Outturn
Jun 199958,430Outturn
Sep 199961,450Outturn
Dec 199962,180Outturn
Mar 200065,170Outturn
Jun 200067,520Outturn
Sep 200071,860Outturn
Dec 200073,080Outturn
Mar 200175,200Outturn
Jun 200175,920Outturn
Sep 200177,800Outturn
Dec 200177,510Outturn
Mar 200280,200Outturn
Jun 200281,660Outturn
Sep 200285,010Outturn
Dec 200285,140Outturn
Mar 200389,040Outturn
Jun 200391,870Outturn
Sep 200394,440Outturn
Dec 200394,610Outturn
Mar 200497,680Outturn
Jun 200499,530Outturn
Sep 2004101,300Outturn
Dec 2004101,030Outturn
Mar 2005101,070Outturn
Jun 2005100,970Outturn
Sep 2005101,020Outturn
Dec 200598,730Outturn
Mar 200696,370Outturn
Jun 200693,910Outturn
Sep 200693,090Outturn
Dec 200689,510Outturn
Mar 200787,120Outturn
Jun 200784,900Outturn
Sep 200782,750Outturn
Dec 200779,500Outturn
Mar 200877,510Outturn
Jun 200874,690Outturn
Sep 200872,130Outturn
Dec 200867,480Outturn
Mar 200964,000Outturn
Jun 200960,230Outturn
Sep 200956,920Outturn
Dec 200953,370Outturn
Mar 201051,310Outturn
Jun 201050,400Outturn
Sep 201049,680Outturn
Dec 201048,010Outturn
Mar 201148,240Outturn
Jun 201148,330Outturn
Sep 201149,100Outturn
Dec 201148,920Outturn
Mar 201250,430Outturn
Jun 201251,630Outturn
Sep 201252,960Outturn
Dec 201253,140Outturn
Mar 201355,320Outturn
Jun 201355,840Outturn
Sep 201357,410Outturn
Dec 201356,940Outturn
Mar 201458,410Outturn
Jun 201459,570Outturn
Sep 201460,900Outturn
Dec 201461,930Outturn
Mar 201564,710Outturn
Jun 201566,980Outturn
Sep 201568,560Outturn
Dec 201569,140Outturn
Mar 201671,670Outturn
Jun 201673,050Outturn
Sep 201674,750Outturn
Dec 201675,740Outturn
Mar 201777,220Outturn
Jun 201778,540Outturn
Sep 201779,830Outturn
Dec 201779,720Outturn
Mar 201880,720Outturn
Jun 201882,390Outturn
Sep 201883,430Outturn
Dec 201883,540Outturn
Mar 201985,040Outturn
Jun 201986,240Outturn
Sep 201987,390Outturn
Dec 201988,310Outturn
Mar 202092,190Outturn
Jun 202098,260Outturn
Sep 202094,610Outturn
Dec 202095,100Outturn
Mar 202195,290Outturn
Jun 202195,850Outturn
Sep 202195,560Outturn
Dec 202196,280Outturn
Mar 202295,000Outturn
Jun 202295,690Outturn
Sep 202298,840Outturn
Dec 2022100,510Outturn
Mar 2023104,540Outturn
Jun 2023105,840Outturn
Sep 2023108,920Outturn
Dec 2023112,610Outturn
Mar 2024117,350Outturn
Jun 2024123,030Outturn
Sep 2024125,970Outturn
Dec 2024127,820Outturn
Mar 2025130,890Outturn
Jun 2025132,340Outturn
Sep 2025134,700Outturn
Dec 2025134,140Outturn
Mar 2026135,580Outturn

Who is affected most

Private renting

When buying is out of reach, rent still has to be paid

Rent is an ongoing household cost. The size of the rented sector shows how many people rely on it; it does not tell us whether a suitable home is available locally.

How much income goes on rent?

-3.1percentage points2015-16–2023-24England · %
No observationsshown0255019962026
39.4% → 36.3%2015-16–2023-24
Mean rent ÷ median gross renter-household income. Comparable data start in 2015–16; no earlier history is invented.
Sources and data

Mean private rent (all tenancies, new and existing) as a share of the median GROSS monthly income of private-renting households (Family Resources Survey). Not take-home pay, and not an individual worker. ONS treats 30% or less as affordable. Regional estimates rest on survey samples and can move a lot year to year. ONS warns these estimates are not directly comparable with earlier editions of the release (method changed in 2024).

Source dataset →
Period%Status
2015-1639.4Outturn
2016-1739.2Outturn
2017-1839Outturn
2018-1937Outturn
2019-2035.4Outturn
2020-2138Outturn
2021-2235.7Outturn
2022-2333.1Outturn
2023-2436.3Outturn

How many households rely on private renting?

+8.8percentage points1996–2024-25England · %
012.52519962026
10.1% → 18.9%1996–2024-25
Share of households renting privately. This is the occupied sector, not a measure of advertised vacancies.
Sources and data

English Housing Survey and its predecessors. Before 2008 figures come from the Labour Force Survey and earlier household surveys; years with no survey are left blank, not filled. Source changes: 1980–1991 DoE estimates; 1992–2008 Labour Force Survey; 2008-09 onward English Housing Survey.

Source dataset →
Period%Status
199610.1Outturn
199710.5Outturn
199810.3Outturn
19999.9Outturn
200010Outturn
200110.1Outturn
200210.3Outturn
200310.8Outturn
200411Outturn
200511.7Outturn
200612.2Outturn
200712.7Outturn
200813.9Outturn
2008-0914.2Outturn
2009-1015.6Outturn
2010-1116.5Outturn
2011-1217.4Outturn
2012-1318Outturn
2013-1419.4Outturn
2014-1519Outturn
2015-1619.9Outturn
2016-1720.3Outturn
2017-1819.5Outturn
2018-1919.3Outturn
2019-2018.7Outturn
2020-2118.5Outturn
2021-2219.1Outturn
2022-2318.8Outturn
2023-2418.8Outturn
2024-2518.9Outturn

The 2024 dwelling survey estimated 11% of private rented homes were vacant. Empty does not necessarily mean available or suitable to let.

Vacancy definition and source →

Place changes both choices

The same regions, two measures: purchase price ÷ individual annual pay; rent ÷ gross household income. The rent chart is not a comparison with monthly mortgage payments.

Buying affordability

Buying: price / pay

English regions · 2025 versus 2007

English regions · 2007 and 2025
20252007England 7.6×
  • London10.6×
  • South East9.6×
  • East of England9.0×
  • South West8.3×
  • East Midlands7.0×
  • West Midlands6.8×
  • Yorkshire and The Humber6.0×
  • North West5.9×
  • North East5.0×
London: 10.6× annual pay; North East: 5.0×. Local differences can be larger still.
Show the workings — Buying: price / pay
Geography:
English regions
Measure:
Multiple of annual earnings (ratio)
Period:
2007 and 2025
Status:
Official statistics
Calculation:
As published by ONS (Table 1c).
Compare with:
England, 7.6

Source: ONS, Housing affordability in England and Wales: 2025, dataset Table 1c (released 26 March 2026).

View the data as a table
Region20252007
London10.617.94
South East9.588.40
East of England9.027.77
South West8.338.29
East Midlands7.026.43
West Midlands6.806.48
Yorkshire and The Humber6.036.04
North West5.925.83
North East5.005.79

Rental affordability

Renting: rent / income

English regions · 2023–24 versus 2015–16

English regions and Wales · 2015–16 and 2023–24
2023–242015–16
  • London41.6%
  • South East29.6%
  • East of England28.9%
  • South West31.4%
  • East Midlands24.4%
  • West Midlands29.2%
  • Yorkshire and The Humber27.4%
  • North West28.1%
  • North East19.8%
London: 41.6% of gross renter-household income; England overall: 36.3%. These averages do not describe every household.
Show the workings — Renting: rent / income
Geography:
English regions and Wales — Private-renting households
Measure:
Per cent of gross household income
Period:
2015–16 and 2023–24
Status:
Official statistics in development
Calculation:
As published by ONS (Table 3).
Compare with:
England, 36.3%
Not included / breaks:
Gross income — before tax — of the renting household, not take-home pay. Rents are averages for all private tenancies, not new lets, so they lag asking rents.

Source: ONS, Private rental affordability, England, Wales and Northern Ireland: 2024, dataset Table 3.

View the data as a table
Area2023–242015–16
London41.6%52.0%
England36.3%39.4%
South West31.4%32.1%
South East29.6%33.2%
West Midlands29.2%27.2%
East of England28.9%33.1%
North West28.1%30.2%
Yorkshire and The Humber27.4%26.3%
Wales25.9%31.5%
East Midlands24.4%25.0%
North East19.8%28.0%
Compare Hampshire’s 13 council areas →

Are people satisfied with the home they have?

The accommodation survey release needs review before its values can be displayed. Read the original source.

What could change

Proposals to consider. The bodies named below would need to agree to deliver them; responsibility is not a recorded commitment. Follow the links for costs and evidence.

  • Turn housing permissions into completed homes

    Focus on getting homes built after planning permission is granted.

    Who could deliver it: Planning authorities, housing bodies, developers and utilities; devolved responsibility.

    Main trade-off and delivery needs

    Binding construction/infrastructure constraints; environmental and displacement harms.

    Select sites; resolve land, planning, utilities, transport and viability; commission tenure mix and delivery agreements.

    Cost: The extra cost is not yet known.

    Costs, drawbacks and evidence →

  • Give families in temporary accommodation a settled home

    Use social-housing funding to provide settled homes for families in temporary accommodation.

    Who could deliver it: Councils and housing providers; relevant national housing bodies.

    Main trade-off and delivery needs

    Competition with other buyers; displacement; unsuitable location/condition.

    Define families and locations; compare acquisition, lease and new build; inspect standards; secure lettings and tenancy support.

    Cost: Only part of the cost has been estimated.

    Costs, drawbacks and evidence →

  • Prevent avoidable loss of rented homes

    Test whether early help with rent arrears and legal advice prevents people losing their homes.

    Who could deliver it: councils, housing/advice providers and landlords.

    Main trade-off and delivery needs

    The main risks still need to be assessed.

    Define arrears/risk trigger, legal advice and assistance design; cost staff, grants and sustained tenancies. Assess additional prevention against existing duties. Proposed owners: councils, housing/advice providers and landlords.

    Cost: The extra cost is not yet known.

    Costs, drawbacks and evidence →

  • Protect flood-defence maintenance and appraise schemes by risk

    Protect existing flood defences and judge new schemes against the risk to local homes and businesses.

    Who could deliver it: Defra, Environment Agency and local partners in England..

    Main trade-off and delivery needs

    Residual risk, false assurance and displacement of water or spending to other places.

    List safety/maintenance gaps, cost them and appraise new schemes using expected damage and distribution. Use engineering and risk appraisal; low trial evidence is not grounds to leave essential protection unmanaged.

    Cost: Only part of the cost has been estimated.

    Costs, drawbacks and evidence →

See all options and what is still unknown →

Some problems have no assessed solution yet: see coverage and gaps.

Help and rights

These links can help with an individual situation. They do not resolve the wider pressures described above.

Domain SWOT

Recorded

Budget 2026 bears on 4 of these findings

Show the findings
Strengths · 2 findings

  • A ten-year, £39bn Social and Affordable Homes Programme aims for around 300,000 homes with at least 60% for social rent; the first £9.58bn went to 33 strategic partners outside London on 25 August 2026, with more than £16bn outside London and around £5bn in London still to allocate.

    England · 2026–27 to 2035–36

  • The planning reforms are in force: the National Planning Policy Framework was revised in December 2024 and replaced by a new version on 17 August 2026, and the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025 became law on 18 December 2025. Their effect on the number of homes built has not yet been observed.

    England · December 2024 to August 2026

Weaknesses · 12 findings

  • Land capacity is not completed housing. The NAO found gaps in tracking homes built through some land-unlocking funds and called for long-term monitoring across programmes. Funding allocations and an unlocked site cannot establish how many suitable homes people can occupy.

    England · February 2026 audit · risk

  • Supported housing is more than a bed. Residents may need help to live independently; weak oversight can leave them paying for support they do not receive. The June 2026 government response sets out licensing and support standards. These are implementation proposals, not evidence that poor provision has already been eliminated. Councils need inspection capacity and safe alternatives when provision closes.

    England; Housing Benefit changes also concern Scotland and Wales · 2026-06-19 · risk

    Budget 2026 responds to this

    Funding for a licensing regime to enforce national standards from 2027–28.

    Supported HousingTrack delivery →

  • The FCA found misleading promotions and unsuitable advice in later-life mortgage sales, including inadequate consideration of alternatives and incentives that could favour sales. Its intervention led reviewed firms to change their processes. Rolling up interest can substantially increase lifetime-mortgage debt; suitability and clear total-cost explanations remain important.

    United Kingdom · FCA review, September 2023

  • Shared ownership combines a purchased share with rent on the remainder. The NAO identifies affordability and information challenges; access should be assessed using the total ongoing cost, not just the initial deposit.

    England · March 2026 review

  • Mean private rent was 36.3% of median gross renter-household income, and 41.6% in London. This is a ratio of averages, not every household’s rent burden; the England share has not risen steadily.

    England · 2023-24

  • Social-rent additions fell from 42,465 in 1996–97 to 12,267 in 2024–25. This is gross supply, including acquisitions, not net of sales and demolitions; Affordable Rent is a separate category.

    England · 1996–97 to 2024–25

  • Of 4,724 monitored residential buildings at least 11 metres high with unsafe cladding, 2,153 had not started remediation. This monitored portfolio is not a count of every unsafe home; coverage changes over time.

    England · August 2026

  • 4 million dwellings (15%) did not meet the Decent Homes Standard; 1.4 million (5%) had damp. Existing-home condition needs attention alongside supply and affordability. The categories overlap.

    England · 2024

  • A typical home costs 7.6 times full-time annual earnings, against 3.5 in 1997 (the early earnings basis differs in 1997–98).

    England · 2025 (1997 reference)

  • 135,580 households, including 177,530 children, were in temporary accommodation.

    England · March 2026

    Budget 2026 responds to this

    New money for rough sleeping and around 10,000 social and affordable homes; whether it reduces temporary accommodation depends on who the homes are let to.

    Rough SleepingSocial and Affordable Homes ProgrammeTrack delivery →

  • England added 208,600 homes, against about 300,000 a year implied by the government’s 1.5 million ambition.

    England · 2024–25

  • Prevention works for just over half of households: of 35,130 prevention duties that ended in January–March 2026, 54.7% ended with a home secured for six months or more and 25% became homeless. The end of a private tenancy was the most common reason among the 39,200 households owed a duty (36.0%).

    England · January to March 2026

Opportunities · 2 findings

  • Pairing deliverable sites with the new social-rent programme could turn grant into lettings for households in temporary accommodation.

    Depends on: Named awards go to additional homes on sites whose infrastructure is funded, and councils can let them to homeless households.

    our synthesis

    Budget 2026 responds to this

    A top-up to the social and affordable homes programme and a zero VAT rate on land sold for social housing.

    Social and Affordable Homes ProgrammeSocial HousingTrack delivery →

  • The OBR estimated in March 2025 that the December 2024 changes to the National Planning Policy Framework would add about 170,000 homes over five years. The estimate was made before the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025 and is not an estimate of that Act.

    Depends on: Councils apply the revised framework and the permitted homes are built. The OBR calls its own judgement uncertain, and in March 2026 said the effect had “yet to meaningfully materialise in outturn”.

    United Kingdom · March 2025 forecast, for 2025–26 to 2029–30 · modelled estimate

Threats · 3 findings

  • Lower deposits and easier lending can widen access but leave borrowers with less equity and more exposure to income, rate and house-price shocks. Your First Home was announced in September 2026; its final terms, public cost and additional supply effects are not yet established. Responsible-lending safeguards remain essential.

    United Kingdom; Your First Home is England only · 2026 · risk

    Budget 2026 responds to this

    The Budget published Your First Home’s terms (2.5% minimum deposit, 20% equity loan) and £4.7bn of funding; its effect on supply and on borrowers’ risk is still unestablished.

    Your First HomeLifetime ISATrack delivery →

  • Build-cost inflation, shortages of materials and labour, stretched planning teams and delays with utilities can mean fewer completions than planned — as the NAO found for the last programme.

    risk

  • About 6.3 million properties in England are in areas at risk of flooding from rivers, the sea or surface water; with climate change the Environment Agency projects around 8 million — 1 in 4 properties — by mid-century.

    England · 2024 assessment; projection to mid-century · risk

See the whole-UK SWOT →

Domain action plan

Proposed

Possible steps for government and the bodies responsible. These describe the order of work, not promised dates: starting an action and seeing results take different amounts of time.

  1. Short term · prepare

    Identify sites held up by land, planning or utility connections.

  2. Medium term · deliver

    Resolve those obstacles and secure builders, funding and affordable homes.

  3. Long term · judge results

    Judge success by completed homes and whether people can afford them.

Delivery steps and owners (5)
  1. Prerequisite: Publish the blocker, owner and infrastructure cost for priority sites · MHCLG with local planning authorities · proposed
  2. Decision: Award programme grant to named social-rent schemes · Homes England and the GLA · Bidding opened February 2026; first strategic-partner allocations 25 August 2026, most of the programme still to allocate
  3. Delivery: Build or acquire, then let to households in temporary accommodation · Housing associations and councils · proposed
  4. Result: Fewer households in temporary accommodation; more net additional homes · MHCLG statistics · proposed
  5. Delivery: Early legal and money advice for renters served notice or in arrears, in named councils with comparisons · Councils with MHCLG and the Ministry of Justice · proposed

Sources, method and changes

Sources and methods (5)

Method notes

  • England only unless stated: housing policy is devolved, and the nations measure housing differently.
  • Affordability ratios use workplace-based earnings of full-time employees; ONS also publishes residence-based ratios, which differ where many people commute.
  • Net additional dwellings is the most complete measure of new homes; building-control completions count new builds only and are a different series.
Shareable visual summary

Visual summary

Homes still cost nearly eight years of full-time pay.

In England a median home cost 7.6× median gross full-time annual earnings in 2025, against 9.1× at the 2021 peak and 4.2× in 2000. A price-to-earnings ratio, not a deposit or mortgage measure. Three separate observations, not a continuous line.

House price to earnings ratio, England (same 0–10 scale)

  • 2000 (baseline)4.2×
  • 2021 (peak)9.1×
  • 20257.6×

A ratio of price to pay — not a mortgage payment or deposit measure. Local ratios vary far more widely.

England, median price ÷ median full-time earnings. Source: ONS, House price to workplace-based earnings ratio.
Download image (PNG, 1024 by 1536 pixels)

Homes still cost nearly eight years of full-time pay.

Housing infographic: a typical home in England cost 7.6 times full-time annual pay in 2025, against 3.5 in 1997 and 9.1 in 2021.
Text and data version

Homes still cost nearly eight years of full-time pay. In England a median home cost 7.6× median gross full-time annual earnings in 2025, against 9.1× at the 2021 peak and 4.2× in 2000. A price-to-earnings ratio, not a deposit or mortgage measure. Three separate observations, not a continuous line.

Records behind this visual summary
MeasureValuePeriodGeographyTypeSource
House price to workplace-based earnings ratio, England, 19973.5×1997Englandobserved countOffice for National Statistics, Housing affordability in England and Wales
House price to workplace-based earnings ratio, England, 20004.2×2000Englandobserved countOffice for National Statistics, Housing affordability in England and Wales
House price to workplace-based earnings ratio, England, 20219.1×2021Englandobserved countOffice for National Statistics, Housing affordability in England and Wales
House price to workplace-based earnings ratio, England, 20257.6×2025Englandobserved countOffice for National Statistics, Housing affordability in England and Wales

Image description: Housing infographic: a typical home in England cost 7.6 times full-time annual pay in 2025, against 3.5 in 1997 and 9.1 in 2021.

Social card

A landscape card for sharing this finding. Post it with the page link — an uploaded image does not link back by itself.

An English home cost 7.6 times median gross full-time annual earnings in 2025. The ratio improved from its peak, but buying still presents a high barrier. Explore prices, rents and supply.
Download image (PNG, 1536 by 1024 pixels)

Homes still cost nearly eight years of full-time pay.

Housing social card. England’s median home cost 7.6 times gross full-time annual earnings in 2025. The earlier selected observations are 3.5 in 1997 and 9.1 in 2021.

Available images and their source records are listed on Shareable visuals.