The most recent English Housing Survey figures count 4m homes as privately rented, with an additional 3.7m rented through “social” landlords. On the other hand, owner-occupied home numbers fell to 14.3m. Home ownership registered at 65.2% of the total, the lowest percentage since 1988. “The proportion of all households in owner occupation increased steadily from the 1980s to 2003 when it reached a peak of 71%,” stated the DWP. The report also found that the number of households in the private rented sector receiving housing benefit has risen by two-thirds in the past five years, with 390,000 more households in this category beginning to claim, putting extra strain on public finances, which have seen a doubling of the housing benefit bill in the last ten years.

Keep in touch

To receive our newsletters and details of our talks and events:

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.