The cost of renting a home in the UK has jumped by an average of £221 per month over the past three years, placing mounting pressure on tenants and forcing some to reconsider career choices or rely on family support to make ends meet, new data from property website Zoopla reveals.
The average monthly rent across the UK now stands at £1,283, according to the latest figures — a 21% rise since 2022. The steep increase mirrors the rise in typical monthly mortgage repayments over the same period, which have risen by £218 on average. But unlike homeowners, many renters are not building equity and have little financial cushion to fall back on.
While the pace of rent rises has slowed — falling from an annual growth rate of 6.4% last year to 2.8% in the year to April 2025 — the effects of the surge are still being felt acutely across the country.
‘I had to turn down a job because of rent’
For some, high rental prices are reshaping life choices. Neysa Killeen, a 26-year-old musical theatre performer, was forced to decline a job offer at a school in Dublin, citing unaffordable rent.
“That was the first time I had to turn down a good opportunity,” she told the BBC. Since relocating to northern England, she has continued to struggle with rent affordability. “Now I’m looking at having to move somewhere else again because realistically I won’t be able to keep up.”
She’s not alone. Karen, a mother who contacted the BBC through its Your Voice, Your BBC News platform, described how she and her husband are financially supporting their grown-up son — himself a father with a well-paid graduate job — because he cannot afford rent on his own. But with her own retirement on the horizon, she admits this arrangement is unsustainable.
Parents stepping in to help
Lucian Cook, head of residential research at Savills, noted an increase in parents acting as guarantors or helping informally with rent. “The rapid growth in rents has made parental support more common, either through upfront payments or by underwriting tenancy agreements,” he said.
Aneisha Beveridge, from Hamptons estate agency, added that many young adults are remaining in the family home longer, delaying independence due to soaring costs.
Cities see rents ease — but only slightly
Zoopla’s data shows a regional divide in rent increases. Belfast topped the list, with average rents rising by 11.6% over the past year, followed by Blackburn (10%), Wigan (9.3%), and Birkenhead (9.1%). By contrast, cities like Bournemouth (0.9%), Nottingham (0.5%), and Bristol (0.4%) saw minimal growth, while rents fell in Leeds (-1.5%) and Dundee (-2.7%).
In parts of London and other major cities, rents have either plateaued or dropped slightly. However, more affordable commuter towns adjacent to large cities — including Wigan, Carlisle, and Chester — continue to see rent increases of 8% or more, as tenants seek cheaper alternatives within reach of urban job markets.
A housing market stuck in limbo
Despite the sharp increases in both rent and mortgage costs, house prices themselves have risen modestly — just 4% over the past three years. In theory, that should benefit first-time buyers. But in practice, high rental costs and large deposit requirements remain major hurdles.
Zoopla’s Richard Donnell pointed out that while mortgage payers are typically investing in larger two-to-four-bedroom homes, renters are often younger, living in smaller one-to-three-bedroom properties — yet facing similar monthly costs without the long-term financial return.
“I don’t know anyone who expects to be able to buy a house — it’s just not something we talk about,” Killeen added.
Government response and calls for action
The government has pledged support for first-time buyers by extending the mortgage guarantee scheme and easing mortgage regulations. There are also plans to let prospective buyers use rent payment histories in mortgage affordability assessments — a move welcomed by renters like Stefania Calhoun, 41.
“I’m not looking for anything extravagant — just something cosy and mine. Something to leave behind for the kids,” she said.
However, Zoopla’s Donnell stressed that renters who may never buy also need greater support. “Home ownership remains out of reach for a large proportion of lower to middle-income households,” he said. “We need more affordable rental homes to ease the pressure and give people genuine choices.”
With demand for rental properties still outpacing supply, and incomes struggling to keep up, the outlook for renters — especially young and lower-income households — remains uncertain. Without a significant boost in affordable housing stock, the rental crisis looks set to remain a defining issue of the UK’s housing landscape.