Tenant affordability has tightened across the UK, with renters dedicating a larger portion of their income to housing costs in October, according to the HomeLet Rental Index. The share of income spent on rent rose to 32.7% last month, an increase from 32.1% in September.
This rise in affordability pressure comes despite a 0.9% monthly fall in the average UK rent, which now stands at £1,375. However, tenants securing new tenancies are still paying 2.2% more than they did a year ago.
Regionally, Northern Ireland recorded the highest proportion of income spent on rent at 39.4%, though this was a slight decrease from 39.7% in September. Greater London tenants saw their rent-to-income ratio increase to 38.9% from 37.9% the previous month, with an average monthly rent of £2,260.
Outside Greater London, the average rent dropped to £1,164, but the income proportion required to cover it still rose to 31.1% from 30.5%. The South East experienced the largest monthly rent fall, down 2.7% to £1,432, while Scotland saw a 2.6% monthly decline. The East Midlands was the only region where average rent was lower than in October 2025, falling 0.6% to £925.