Bath and North East Somerset has emerged as one of the least affordable places to rent in England, outside of London. Last year, the average rent for a private home in the area consumed 42.7% of the median household income, making it the second highest proportion among local authorities in England and Wales, just behind Bristol at 44.6%.
Following Bath and Bristol, the next least affordable areas to rent privately were Brighton (42.5%), Sevenoaks (42.0%), and Trafford (41.3%).
Affordability in Bath has worsened compared to the previous year when rents accounted for 37.8% of the typical household income. However, this proportion is nearly the same as it was in 2016, the earliest year for which data is available, when rents took up 42.8% of local income.
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In other parts of the county, private rents in North Somerset comprised 30.0% of average household income last year, up from 26.7% in 2023. In Somerset overall, rents made up 27.1% of income, rising from 23.3% over the same period.
Across England, the affordability of private rents has decreased, with households spending 33.1% of their income on rent last year—up from previous figures. Conversely, Wales and Northern Ireland have seen slight improvements, with rent-to-income ratios declining from 26.3% and 25.1%, respectively.
Comparing figures from 2015/16, private rents have generally become more affordable nationally. Back then, the typical rent accounted for 39.4% of household income in England, 31.5% in Wales, and 25.6% in Northern Ireland. Yet, many major cities such as Bristol, Leeds, Birmingham, and Leicester have experienced a rise in rent burdens over the past nine years.
Ben Twomey, Chief Executive of Generation Rent, highlighted the struggles renters face: “Renters are being crushed under the weight of high, unaffordable rents. For families across the country, this means not being able to save for the future or choosing between essentials and debt.”
He called for government action, urging that metro mayors be granted the powers necessary to curb escalating rents, particularly in major urban centers where the problem is most acute.