Renters now pay over four months of income a year on rent, according to research from Generation Rent.
This comes as ‘Cost of Rent Day’ nears — the date at which, on average, all of a renter’s income to that point in the year is sent to their landlord.
Generation Rent has calculated this by correlating the average percentage of income renters spent on rent with the same proportion of the calendar year.
On average, renters in England spend 36% of their gross income on rent.
This year, Generation Rent has calculated 11th May to be the day when renters will have accrued 36% of the year’s income, making this the Cost of Rent Day for 2026.
Cost of Rent Day comes later for renters in Bristol and London, 10th and 2nd June respectively.
The local authority with the latest Cost of Rent Day, and highest rent, is Kensington and Chelsea with 26th September.
“It’s not right that over four months of our income every year is being swallowed up by landlords,” said Ben Twomey, CEO at Generation Rent.
“While it was encouraging to see the government recognise this through its recent consideration of a rent freeze, we need to see longer-term action.
“The government must urgently give metro mayors the power to slam the brakes on soaring rents through limiting rent increases.”
