Key facts
- Average private rents in Britain rose 3.8% year-on-year in August.
- The August rent increase is the fastest annual growth rate since December.
- Annual house price inflation slowed to 1.4% in July.
- Average house prices in the UK were £273,000 in July.
Average private rent prices in Britain saw their fastest annual increase this year in August, rising by 3.8% compared to the same month in 2025, according to data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). This figure is a slight acceleration from the 3.7% annual rise recorded in July and represents the strongest rent inflation since December 2025.
In contrast, the pace of house price inflation continued to cool. Annual house price growth eased to 1.4% in July, down from 1.5% in June and 1.6% in May. The ONS reported that average UK house prices stood at £273,000 in July 2026.
The ONS data also provided regional breakdowns for August 2026. Average rents increased by 4.0% in England, reaching £1,459 per month, and by 4.3% in Wales, to £846 per month. Scotland saw a 1.1% increase to £1,013 per month, while Northern Ireland recorded a 1.6% rise to £874 per month as of June 2026.
Within England, the North East and North West experienced the highest annual rent inflation at 5.8%, while the South East saw the lowest at 3.0%. The slowdown in house price inflation was attributed to a notable deceleration in the South West of England, with London and the West Midlands also contributing to the trend.