While some regions show slight easing in rental affordability, London and the South East continue to face severe cost pressures, prompting calls for policy support amid rising rent-to-income ratios across the UK.
Renting a home in the UK continues to present significant affordability challenges, with wide regional disparities highlighted in recent analyses. According to data from Propertymark, the average salary required to rent comfortably varies considerably across the country, shaped by differing rent prices and local income levels. The north east of England, for example, has seen a notable shift in affordability pressures, where despite a 6.1% rise in rents to an average of £911 per month, the typical salary needed to rent there dropped significantly by 20.6% year-on-year, now standing at about £27,330. Northern Ireland remains one of the most affordable spots, with a rent of £918 on average and a required salary of roughly £27,540 annually.
In the north west, rental costs have decreased slightly, down 3.2% to £1,095 per month, yet the salary needed to rent comfortably has nudged up by 1.5% to £32,850. Meanwhile, London, despite a small dip in both rent and the associated salary requirement, remains among the least affordable regions. The capital’s average rent fell by 5.8% month-on-month to £2,243, while the typical salary needed declined by 3.6% to £67,290 per year. Nevertheless, renters still face steep costs, with recent statistics from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showing that London tenants spend around 41.6% of their income on rent, far surpassing the widely accepted affordability threshold of 30%.
This trend is echoed in wider England, where the average private renter allocates 36.3% of income to housing costs, indicating growing strain on renters amid rises in rent outpacing income gains since 2021. By contrast, Wales and Northern Ireland maintain lower ratios, with renters spending closer to 25-26% of their income on rent, underlining uneven affordability pressures across the UK.
Further stress on the rental market is revealed in Canopy’s UK Rental Affordability Index, which places London as the least affordable region, with tenants dedicating 44.6% of their take-home pay to rent. The South East similarly exhibits high rental-to-income ratios at 44.1%. The Isle of Man emerges as the most affordable, showing some regional relief for renters. The report also draws attention to a concerning trend where around 10% of UK renters are drawing on their savings to cover rental payments, revealing the financial squeeze many face.
Propertymark’s latest reports on rental trends also highlight differing regional dynamics. While London and the South East experienced the largest drops in the average salary needed to rent over the past year, indicating some easing of affordability pressures, regions such as Yorkshire and Humberside saw these pressures grow. Moreover, October 2025 data points to notable rent increases in Wales and the North East, 3% and 6.1% respectively, which have driven up the cost pressures for renters despite mixed movements in necessary income levels.
Megan Eighteen, President of ARLA Propertymark, commented on the current rental market challenges, noting that “rents have risen across many parts of the UK, but the market remains active and resilient, underpinned by strong tenant demand.” She also pointed to supply constraints, with some landlords exiting due to rising operational and regulatory costs, though new professional landlords are entering the market to help replenish stock. Eighteen emphasised the need for policy support and further investment to ensure the private rental sector remains viable for landlords while providing stable, high-quality homes for tenants.
Overall, while certain regions show signs of slight easing in affordability, the UK rental market is characterised by a complex patchwork of pressures. Rising rents, uneven income growth, and regional cost-of-living differences contribute to an increasingly challenging environment for renters, particularly in London and the South East, where affordability remains alarmingly low. This evolving landscape calls for continued attention from policymakers and industry stakeholders to balance supply and demand and to support renters through these persistent cost challenges.
📌 Reference Map:
- [1] Manchester Evening News – Paragraphs 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8
- [2] Office for National Statistics (ONS) – Paragraphs 4, 5
- [3] Evening Standard – Paragraphs 4, 5
- [4] Canopy – Paragraph 6
- [5] Propertymark via The Intermediary – Paragraph 7
- [6] Propertymark via The Intermediary – Paragraph 8
- [7] Evening Standard – Paragraph 4
Source: Noah Wire Services
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
8
Notes:
The narrative presents recent data from October 2025, including rent increases in Wales and the North East, and affordability pressures. This aligns with recent reports from Propertymark and the Office for National Statistics (ONS). However, similar information has been reported in the past, such as a 7.7% annual rent increase reported by ONS in April 2025. ([mortgagefinancegazette.com](https://www.mortgagefinancegazette.com/lending-news/buy-to-let/rents-rise-by-5-5-year-on-year-ons-22-10-2025/?utm_source=openai)) The inclusion of updated data justifies a higher freshness score but should still be flagged.
Quotes check
Score:
9
Notes:
The narrative includes a quote from Megan Eighteen, President of ARLA Propertymark, commenting on the current rental market challenges. A search for this quote reveals no earlier usage, suggesting it is original or exclusive content.
Source reliability
Score:
8
Notes:
The narrative originates from the Manchester Evening News, a reputable regional news outlet. It references data from Propertymark, ONS, and Canopy, all of which are credible sources. However, the Manchester Evening News is a single-source narrative, which introduces some uncertainty.
Plausability check
Score:
8
Notes:
The claims about rising rents and affordability pressures are consistent with recent data from ONS and Propertymark. The narrative lacks specific factual anchors, such as exact dates for the data points, which reduces the score and flags it as potentially synthetic. The language and tone are consistent with UK reporting standards.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): OPEN
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): MEDIUM
Summary:
The narrative presents recent data on rental affordability in the UK, with original quotes and references to credible sources. However, the lack of specific dates for data points and reliance on a single-source narrative introduces some uncertainty. The inclusion of updated data justifies a higher freshness score but should still be flagged. Further verification from additional reputable sources is recommended to confirm the accuracy and originality of the content.
