Analysis and action on living standards
Access to safe, secure and affordable housing is one of the most fundamental measures of living standards. But spiralling house prices, combined with the limited availability of social housing and high costs associated with the private rented sector, mean that for many UK families and individuals, these things remain out of reach.
For renters, housing-cost-to-income ratios typically include housing benefit in both the measure of income and the measure of housing costs. Over a shorter time period, a more accurate reflection of the true impact of housing costs on incomes for renters is provided by a measure that is ‘net’ of housing benefit on both counts. This reduces housing-cost-to-income ratios, but less so more recently. The data in this section explores housing-cost-to-income ratios for renters on these different measures.
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Financial years after 1993 (so 1994 refers to 1994-95). All renters includes housing benefit in both incomes and housing costs.
RF analysis of IFS, Households Below Average Income (1961-91); DWP, Family Resources Survey (1994-latest)
Financial years after 1993 (so 1994 refers to 1994-95). Including housing benefit in both incomes and housing costs.
‘All renters’ includes housing benefit in both incomes and housing costs.
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