The bar chart illustrates the changing proportions of households living in owned versus rented accommodation in England and Wales between 1918 and 2011. Overall, there was a clear reversal in housing trends over the 93-year period, as home ownership grew substantially while the percentage of rented accommodation decreased.
In 1918, renting was the predominant form of housing, accounting for 77% of households, whereas only 23% owned their homes. This gap narrowed over the following decades. By 1953, the proportion of renters had fallen to 68%, while owners rose to 32%. A pivotal moment occurred in 1971, when the two categories reached parity at 50% each.
From 1971 onwards, home ownership became the majority tenure, peaking at 69% in 2001. Conversely, the percentage of households in rented accommodation continued to decline, reaching a low of 31% in 2001. However, the final decade of the period showed a slight reversal; by 2011, home ownership had dipped to 64%, while the proportion of households in rented accommodation rose to 36%, marking the first increase in renting since the beginning of the study.