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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Vicky Shaw

More children than working adults now live in Britain’s private rentals

  • Children are now more likely than working-age adults to reside in Britain's private rented sector, with 23 per cent of children living in such homes compared to 22 per cent of working-age adults.
  • The number of children in privately rented homes has nearly tripled, rising from 1.1 million in 2000-01 to an estimated 3.2 million by 2024-25, driven by young families being priced out of homeownership.
  • The private rented sector has more than doubled in size since the turn of the century, now housing 12.9 million people in 5.1 million households, significantly altering tenant demographics.
  • The share of people in their 30s living in private rented accommodation has nearly trebled from 10 per cent to 28 per cent between 2000-01 and 2024-25, indicating a shift towards longer-term renting for families.
  • The Renters' Rights Act 2025, which recently came into force in England, aims to address insecurity by ending Section 21 'no fault' evictions, requiring landlords to consider pet requests, and allowing tenants to challenge unfair rent hikes.

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