PRS - Context

About these pages

This section of the website provides a set of statistics relevant to the Private Rented Sector (PRS). 

The NRLA's research team track over 50 separate data sets. The NRLA use only datasets produced by official statistical services, government departments or bodies of similar standing. 

The objective of these pages is to produce a fact-based narrative of current trends in the sector. The NRLA always does its best to keep this data relevant and accurate. However, resource constraints and simple human error may get in the way of this ambition. Many data sets are subsequently revised by the responsible agency. These updates may not be immediately processed here.

The NRLA advise users to always check the data against its source – each chart has a link. We will be happy to correct any errors spotted by individual users of the data.

PRS size

England - dwellings (EHS)

England - households (EHS)

Economic context

Inflation - indexed

Ave earnings and rental growth

PIPR by English region

Bank Lending

GDP Growth

Footnotes

Economic Context

English Housing Survey

  • The English Housing Survey is the main source of information about people’s housing circumstances and the condition of homes in England.  The study is funded by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (previously known as the Department for Levelling up, Housing and Communities).
  • The English Housing Survey is a composite of telephone based surveys and visits to homes (home visits were not possible during Covid-19)
  • Some data in the EHS is presented in calendar years, other data in terms of financial years

Inflation

  • The Index of Private Housing Rental Prices (IPHRP) has been replaced by the ONS as the measure of rental price inflation.
  • Its replacement, the Price Index of Private Rents (PIPR), has a completely different methodology. It is also possible now to monitor changes in rental values in a specific local authority area. 
  • The ONS has also enhanced its house price index data and now publishes analysis of both datasets alongside each other.
  • The Price Index of Private Rents (PIPR) measures private rent inflation based on data from over 500,000 rent prices across the UK. The PIPR is based on achieved rents for both new and existing tenancies.
  • The CPI is a measure of consumer price inflation. It is the preferred measure for inflation targeting and uprating state pensions and benefits.
  • The CPIH meanwhile gives added weight to the housing costs associated with owning, maintaining, and living in one's own home. CPIH also includes Council Tax. The ONS describe the CPI(H) as “the most comprehensive measure of inflation.”

Employment