Millions of renters make ‘painful sacrifices’ to cover the basics

Nearly four in five renters made ‘painful sacrifices’ in the last year such as going without food or selling possessions so they can cover household costs according to new figures* from The Salvation Army.

The findings appear in the church and charity’s new report**, which shows that the estimated annual cost of having a home in 2026 is around £22,000 including rent, utilities, council tax, and essential digital costs such as a phone and internet connection.

The representative sample of 1,100 renters in Great Britain who were surveyed highlight the pressures facing the 16.5 million adults who rent with many reporting that they took extreme measures within the last twelve months:   

• One in four (25%) skipped meals
• One in four (27%) sold personal belongings
• One in two (50%) borrowed money
• Three in five (61%) cut back on essentials such as heating, transport, and toiletries
• One in twelve (8%) used a food bank or other support from a charity.

The impact is not only financial. Nearly one in three renters (29%) said the pressure of their situation in the last 12 months had affected their mental health.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has pledged to do everything possible to address the cost of living, and The Salvation Army will be sharing its report with the Government ahead of the Autumn Budget.

Lt. Colonel Nick Coke, Territorial Co-ordinator for Justice and Reconciliation at The Salvation Army, said: “Millions of renters cannot make ends meet and this report shows how they are having to make painful sacrifices that erode their dignity, health and wellbeing as they battle the risk of homelessness. 

“When people struggle to afford the basics, it can have a devastating impact on their lives particularly if they are vulnerable. We see this every day at our Salvation Army community churches: The grieving widow forced to sell furniture to buy food; the working mum living with her kids in one room and the dad who ended up rough sleeping with his 18-year-old son because he could no longer afford to rent.

“Financial insecurity, unemployment, debt, homelessness and poor health are interconnected and cause a build-up of harm. Government policy must stop viewing these issues in isolation if the Prime Minister is to make good on the pledge to support people who are struggling with the cost of living.”

The Salvation Army is calling on the Government to:

• Make housing affordable and increase housing supply by restoring housing benefit rates in line with local rents and investing in more homes, particularly social housing.
• Strengthen the social security system by reforming Universal Credit so it covers essential living costs, introducing a guaranteed minimum level of support, and ending the five-week wait for first payments.
• Reduce problem debt and protect people in financial hardship by ending aggressive government debt collection practices and improving debt respite and insolvency schemes.
• Support people to live with dignity in their communities by helping local authorities work with charities, faith groups, businesses and community organisations to provide consistent, locally tailored support.

*All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc.  Total sample size was 1,100 renters in Great Britain. Fieldwork was undertaken between 20th - 26th May 2026.  The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all renters in GB (aged 18+). Further details on the findings are available from The Salvation Army on request.

**The Salvation Army’s calculation of the cost of maintaining a home, covers not only rent, council tax and energy bills but other regular essential payments such as broadband and mobile services, as well as less frequent expenses, such as replacing furniture and white goods. The details can be found in The Salvation Army’s report ‘Holding on at All Costs’, which can be viewed at www.salvationarmy.org.uk