Just 2.5% of rented homes in England are affordable on housing benefit

Only 2.5% of private rented homes in England were affordable for people on housing benefit last year, down from 12% in 2021-22.

- Jessica Murray

The homelessness charity Crisis and the campaign group Health Equals based their data on properties in England listed as available to rent between April and October 2024. They say that more people will be pushed into rent arrears and homelessness as a freeze on housing benefit takes effect.

From today, housing benefit rates will be locked until 2026, affecting 5.7 million households on low income who rely on it to cover their rent. Over the last decade, private sector rents in England have risen by 45%.

Crisis said people on low incomes may be forced to sleep rough or find themselves pushed into poor quality temporary accommodation because of the growing gap between housing benefit and the cost of rent.