The average cost of renting in the UK rose by 2% in 2021 – the largest annual increase since 2017, according to figures from the Office for National Statistics.
Rising rental prices combined with inflation hitting 5.5% in January will ratchet up the pressure on government to increase support for vulnerable families.
The biggest increase in average rental prices was recorded in the East Midlands, where tenants are paying 3.6% more than a year earlier. London saw the smallest increase of just 0.1%, as demand for city flats dwindled during lockdown and people favoured working remotely outside the capital.
