>
A quarter of people have seen housing costs rise in the past three months as rising rents and mortgage rates put pressure on household finances
- More than a third expect housing costs to rise in the coming year, according to Ipsos
- Research shows that 27% of tenants now spend at least half of their income on housing
A quarter of UK adults have seen the cost of their mortgage or rent rise over the past three months, with 18-34 year olds most likely to be affected.
Meanwhile, only 3 percent of people saw their rent or mortgage payments fall during that time, according to new research from Ipsos.
More than a third expect their housing costs to rise – or continue to rise – over the next 12 months, while nearly half of 18-34 year olds expect an increase.
By comparison, just under a quarter of 55-75 year-olds expect their rent or mortgage payments to rise – possibly because a larger share of this group is likely to own a home.
Rise: A quarter of adults have seen housing costs rise in the past three months
Tenants are also more likely than mortgage holders to spend at least half of their monthly income on their living space.
Nearly a third (27 percent) of renters spend at least half of their income on housing, compared to just 17 percent of mortgage holders, Ipsos said.
However, those with mortgages see costs rise. Mortgage rates shot up late last year in the wake of September’s mini budget, with the two-year fixed average rising to 6.5 percent.
How much do mortgages and rent cost now?
Although mortgage rates are slowly falling, they are expected to fall between 4 and 5 percent, leading to more than 1.4 million people facing a mortgage shock this year when their current fixed loan matures.
At the same time, the average rent outside London has hit a record £1,172, up 9.7 per cent by 2022, according to Rightmove.
Rightmove predicts rents will rise another 5 percent in 2023 unless there is a “significant increase in available rental housing.”
Making ends meet: More than a quarter of people have had to cut back to pay rent or mortgage payments
The Ipsos survey found that 26 percent of people had to cut back to pay mortgage or rental costs, while another 19 percent had thought about it.
Two-thirds say they would be willing to cut spending if it meant buying a home – either as a first-time buyer or as a new home. Only 17 percent say they are not willing to make the change.
Nearly four in ten (39 percent) said they didn’t think they would ever be able to buy a home and nearly half (49 percent) said they could only afford a home if they inherited money from relatives.
Cut back: Nearly two-thirds of people told Ipsos they would cut back if it meant buying a new home
A quarter of young workers can now expect to inherit more money than they will make in an entire 40-year career, according to a new analysis from mortgage broker Tembo.
Over the next 30 years, an estimated £5.5 trillion will be passed from wealthy parents to their children in the form of legacies and gifts.
In one of the largest transfers of wealth in history, more than three million people in the UK with parents over the age of 65 will receive an inheritance of more than £1 million each over the next three decades.