Social landlord housing stock and rents: as at 31 March 2021

This includes the 11 local authorities who retain stock and all Registered Social Landlords (RSLs). It will include social and other types of housing.

Note that, due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, data on social landlord housing stock for 2019-20 and rents for 2020-21 are incomplete. See the COVID-19 and the production of statistics and social research statement for further information.

Stock

• There continued to be a slight increase (2%) in social housing in Wales. There were 235,557 social housing units at 31 March 2021 compared with 231,408(r) two years earlier.
• Of these 235,557 social housing units, RSLs owned 63% and local authorities owned the remaining 37%.
• At 31 March 2021, a further 15,480 other housing units were owned or partly owned by social landlords. Of these 98% were owned by RSLs.

 (r) 2018-19 data has been revised since previously published.

Rents

• The average weekly rents set by local authorities at 1 April 2021 for 2021-22 for all self-contained social housing was £96.53. All self-contained social housing includes general needs, sheltered, other supported and extra care housing. This is an increase of 5% compared to 2019-20.
• The corresponding average weekly rent set by RSLs for 2021-22 was £98.17. This is also an increase of 5% compared to 2019-20.
• The gap between local authority and RSL average weekly rent levels has narrowed in recent years. For 2021-22 the average weekly rent set by RSLs was higher by £1.64.