Generation rent

Home ownership has declined over the past 10 years as Britons struggle to get on to the property ladder and are forced to rent for longer, according to the latest census data.

The proportion of residents who either owned their home outright or owned with a mortgage fell from 68 per cent in 2001 to 64 per cent last year. Of those that do own, a bigger proportion – 31 per cent, up from 29 per cent – own their homes outright than they did ten years ago.

The 2011 data also revealed that more people are renting. The percentage of the population renting from private landlords rose from 9 per cent to 15 per cent over the past decade.