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Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallRent has become a little more affordable relative to earnings in one recent measure, but that does not mean renting is broadly affordable across the UK. Zoopla’s March 2026 analysis put a typical new rent outside London at 33.5% of one person’s gross annual earnings, down from above 35% in 2023. By contrast, official figures for the financial year ending 2024 put average rent at 36.3% of median income for private-renting households in England—above the Office for National Statistics’ 30% affordability benchmark. The results describe different people and rents, so they are not contradictory readings of the same statistic.
What does “rental affordability” measure?
There is no single UK figure that answers whether rent is affordable. The percentage depends on what rent is counted, whose income is used, where they live and when the data was collected. Three recent measures illustrate why the numbers should be read separately.
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| Measure | What it compares | Latest figure in the cited data |
|---|---|---|
| ONS rental affordability | Average rent as a share of median gross income for private-renting households in each area. The ONS benchmark is 30% or less. | England: 36.3% in the financial year ending 2024. Published 18 August 2025. ONS figures and methodology |
| Zoopla rent-to-earnings ratio | Typical annual new-let rent outside London as a share of one person’s gross annual earnings. | 33.5% in March 2026, down from above 35% in 2023. Zoopla March 2026 Rental Market Report |
| HomeLet tenant-reference data | Rent as a share of gross income reported in tenant-reference applications processed from January 2025 to August 2026. | 32% typical share; 21% of applications required a guarantor. HomeLet UK Rental Affordability Report 2026 |
The ONS figure is about households already renting, while Zoopla’s ratio uses one person’s earnings and typical new-let rent outside London. HomeLet’s figures describe its applicant sample. Different populations, denominators and time periods mean these percentages cannot be lined up as if they were competing estimates of one national affordability rate.
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The available figures do not establish one salary threshold for all UK renters. A useful estimate depends on the property’s rent and on whether you are assessing affordability against gross or take-home pay. It also depends on location, property size, household composition and any referencing criteria applied by a landlord or letting agent.
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For a specific property, divide its annual rent by the gross annual income you are considering to find the rent-to-income share. For example, a £1,000 monthly rent is £12,000 a year; compared with £36,000 gross annual income, that is one-third of gross income. This is a calculation, not a claim that one-third is affordable for every household, or that a landlord will accept that income. The ONS uses 30% or less as its benchmark, but its measure does not determine an individual landlord’s referencing rules.
Where is rent most stretched against income?
The ONS’s latest cited regional comparison, for the financial year ending 2024, shows a clear divide. Its figures use average rent as a share of median gross income among private-renting households:
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| Area | Rent as a share of income |
|---|---|
| London | 41.6% |
| England | 36.3% |
| Wales | 25.9% |
| Northern Ireland | 25.3% |
| ONS affordability benchmark | 30% or less |
These are ONS estimates for the financial year ending 2024, published in August 2025. Wales and Northern Ireland were below the ONS benchmark on this measure, while England was above it and London substantially higher. They are averages, not a verdict on every household or town. The cited ONS bulletin covers England, Wales and Northern Ireland; it does not provide a directly comparable Scotland figure.
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Why the easing may not last
Zoopla’s March 2026 report found that earnings had outpaced new-let rents over the preceding 18 months, helping its outside-London rent-to-earnings ratio move down to 33.5% and toward its stated long-run average of 33%. That is evidence of some easing in that particular measure—not proof that rents are broadly affordable or that the trend will continue.
In a release dated 14 September 2026, Zoopla reported that UK rents had risen 2.6% in the 12 months to July, reaching an average £1,340 a month. It also reported 3% fewer homes available to rent year on year. Zoopla forecast rent growth of 4–5% by the end of 2026; that was a forecast, not an observed end-of-year result. The report’s combination of faster rent growth and shrinking supply makes the earlier easing signal less certain. Zoopla’s September 2026 rental-supply report
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The ONS affordability ratio has an important blind spot: it covers households that have already succeeded in renting. It therefore does not capture people who cannot secure a home, including those priced out or unable to meet a landlord’s requirements. The 30% benchmark is a way to assess rent against income, not evidence that everyone above it is unable to cope or everyone below it can afford their other costs.
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National and regional averages also hide differences between towns, cities, property types and household circumstances. Zoopla’s new-let index is based on asking rents and adjusted to reflect achieved rents, but it is not an official measure of every tenancy. HomeLet’s application figures similarly describe a private-sector sample, not all renters.
Zoopla’s December 2025 commentary described a market that had moved toward normality as supply improved and rent growth slowed at that time. It should be read as a dated assessment, not a current description: the company’s September 2026 release later reported falling rental supply and faster growth by July. Together, the measures support a cautious conclusion: rent pressure eased relative to earnings in one series, while affordability remained stretched in England and market conditions were again tightening in the latest cited update.
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