Housing in the United Kingdom

Housing in the United Kingdom represents the largest non-financial asset class in the UK; the overall net value of the UK housing stock remained above £8 trillion in 2024-25, representing a 0.81% increase in the dwelling stock to approximately 25.6 million dwellings in England as of March 2024. This reflects a marginal decrease of 0.3% from the previous year, yet it remains £1.585 trillion higher than levels in 2019, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Housing includes modern and a wide range of traditional styles that are still popular. About 30% of homes are owned outright by their occupants, and a further 40% are owner-occupied on a mortgage. Around 18% are social housing of some kind, and the remaining 19% are privately rented. The UK ranks in the top half in Europe with regard to rooms per person, amenities and quality of housing. However, the cost of housing as a proportion of income is higher than average amongst European Union (EU) member-states, and the increasing cost of housing in the UK might constitute a housing crisis for many especially in London. As of 2015, over the preceding three decades, house price increases of over fivefold exceeded the average inflation rate of a little above twofold — with housing nationally being typically the larger driver of inflation over the three decades preceding 2022.

Housing and planning decisions are administered by local authorities, but overall come under the jurisdiction of the Minister of State for Housing as part of the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. Responsibilities are devolved to corresponding departments in the Scottish Government, the Welsh Government and the Northern Ireland Executive).