"Housing provides the base from which people live their lives, connecting them to work, education, services and their communities. The affordability of housing, alongside the stability, quality and size of homes, is crucial in itself, but also, if unaffordable, can drag occupants into poverty... At worst, households facing unaffordable housing costs can experience destitution, homelessness or rough sleeping." — JRF poverty report 2023.

This is the Housing spotlight page for Lancaster.

Key indicators

The following analysis reflects the experience across the population of Lancaster.

Housing tenure mix

Long term trends

The long term trends looks at data from the previous censuses, to show the change in tenure mix.

Social rented
Private rented
Owner occupied
Other
Tenure mix (%)010020406080Census year20212011200119911981In 1981, 6468% of tenure was in the social rented sector.In 1991, 5608% of tenure was in the social rented sector.In 2001, 12050% of tenure was in the social rented sector.In 2011, 5762% of tenure was in the social rented sector.In 2021, 6153% of tenure was in the social rented sector.In 1981, 777% of tenure was in the private rented sector.In 1991, 5165% of tenure was in the private rented sector.In 2001, 18239% of tenure was in the private rented sector.In 2011, 10929% of tenure was in the private rented sector.In 2021, 13029% of tenure was in the private rented sector.In 1981, 32858% of tenure was owner occupied.In 1991, 38535% of tenure was owner occupied.In 2001, 94690% of tenure was owner occupied.In 2011, 39999% of tenure was owner occupied.In 2021, 40266% of tenure was owner occupied.In 1981, 4550% of tenure was of another type.In 1991, 0% of tenure was of another type.In 2001, 2657% of tenure was of another type.In 2011, 1132% of tenure was of another type.In 2021, 530% of tenure was of another type.

Shorter term estimates

This data is based on subnational estimates of dwellings by tenure. The data for owner occupation is broken down further by owned outright and owned with a morgage or loan.

Social rented
Private rented
Owned outright
Owned with mortgage or loan
Tenure mix (%)010020406080Year2021202020192018201720162015201420132012Social rented 2012: 9.98%Social rented 2013: 10.11%Social rented 2014: 10.17%Social rented 2015: 10.27%Social rented 2016: 10.42%Social rented 2017: 10.52%Social rented 2018: 10.35%Social rented 2019: 10.32%Social rented 2020: 10.20%Social rented 2021: 10.16%Private rented 2012: 21.15%Private rented 2013: 21.86%Private rented 2014: 22.44%Private rented 2015: 22.92%Private rented 2016: 22.92%Private rented 2017: 22.43%Private rented 2018: 22.06%Private rented 2019: 21.77%Private rented 2020: 21.70%Private rented 2021: 21.71%Owned outright 2012: 36.48%Owned outright 2013: 36.29%Owned outright 2014: 36.49%Owned outright 2015: 36.90%Owned outright 2016: 37.29%Owned outright 2017: 37.96%Owned outright 2018: 38.55%Owned outright 2019: 38.89%Owned outright 2020: 40.68%Owned outright 2021: 42.34%Owned with mortgage or loan 2012: 32.40%Owned with mortgage or loan 2013: 31.73%Owned with mortgage or loan 2014: 30.89%Owned with mortgage or loan 2015: 29.92%Owned with mortgage or loan 2016: 29.37%Owned with mortgage or loan 2017: 29.09%Owned with mortgage or loan 2018: 29.04%Owned with mortgage or loan 2019: 29.02%Owned with mortgage or loan 2020: 27.43%Owned with mortgage or loan 2021: 25.79%

Local Housing Allowance shortfall

What's on this chart?

LHA used to be benchmarked to the the 30th percentile of rental prices but has been frozen in cash terms since April 2020. As a result LHA now lags the rental prices in some areas.

Difference between 30th percentile rental and LHA (£)-50010050Size of propertyThree bedroomTwo bedroomOne bedroomSingle room£80 for Single room rentals.£-0 for One bedroom rentals.£-1 for Two bedroom rentals.£-1 for Three bedroom rentals.

Median house prices

What's on this chart?

This chart shows median house prices over time in Lancaster.

Dataset

House Prices
Lancaster
Year1017776000000121777600000014177760000001617776000000817776000000Median House Prices (£)0150k150k200k250k300k350k50kLancaster 1995-12-01: 45250Lancaster 1996-03-01: 45000Lancaster 1996-06-01: 45000Lancaster 1996-09-01: 44500Lancaster 1996-12-01: 44500Lancaster 1997-03-01: 44950Lancaster 1997-06-01: 44500Lancaster 1997-09-01: 45000Lancaster 1997-12-01: 45000Lancaster 1998-03-01: 45950Lancaster 1998-06-01: 47000Lancaster 1998-09-01: 47500Lancaster 1998-12-01: 47000Lancaster 1999-03-01: 47000Lancaster 1999-06-01: 47425Lancaster 1999-09-01: 47750Lancaster 1999-12-01: 50000Lancaster 2000-03-01: 51000Lancaster 2000-06-01: 51500Lancaster 2000-09-01: 52000Lancaster 2000-12-01: 52000Lancaster 2001-03-01: 52000Lancaster 2001-06-01: 53000Lancaster 2001-09-01: 55000Lancaster 2001-12-01: 56000Lancaster 2002-03-01: 57000Lancaster 2002-06-01: 59000Lancaster 2002-09-01: 60000Lancaster 2002-12-01: 65000Lancaster 2003-03-01: 68000Lancaster 2003-06-01: 73500Lancaster 2003-09-01: 79950Lancaster 2003-12-01: 84000Lancaster 2004-03-01: 88725Lancaster 2004-06-01: 94950Lancaster 2004-09-01: 100000Lancaster 2004-12-01: 110000Lancaster 2005-03-01: 112000Lancaster 2005-06-01: 115000Lancaster 2005-09-01: 118350Lancaster 2005-12-01: 119550Lancaster 2006-03-01: 119950Lancaster 2006-06-01: 120000Lancaster 2006-09-01: 123500Lancaster 2006-12-01: 125000Lancaster 2007-03-01: 128000Lancaster 2007-06-01: 130000Lancaster 2007-09-01: 130000Lancaster 2007-12-01: 134000Lancaster 2008-03-01: 134950Lancaster 2008-06-01: 135000Lancaster 2008-09-01: 136000Lancaster 2008-12-01: 130000Lancaster 2009-03-01: 127000Lancaster 2009-06-01: 125000Lancaster 2009-09-01: 123000Lancaster 2009-12-01: 127500Lancaster 2010-03-01: 129000Lancaster 2010-06-01: 131000Lancaster 2010-09-01: 133995Lancaster 2010-12-01: 132000Lancaster 2011-03-01: 130000Lancaster 2011-06-01: 127500Lancaster 2011-09-01: 125000Lancaster 2011-12-01: 125000Lancaster 2012-03-01: 125000Lancaster 2012-06-01: 125000Lancaster 2012-09-01: 126500Lancaster 2012-12-01: 130000Lancaster 2013-03-01: 130000Lancaster 2013-06-01: 130000Lancaster 2013-09-01: 130500Lancaster 2013-12-01: 132000Lancaster 2014-03-01: 132000Lancaster 2014-06-01: 135000Lancaster 2014-09-01: 136000Lancaster 2014-12-01: 138500Lancaster 2015-03-01: 140000Lancaster 2015-06-01: 140000Lancaster 2015-09-01: 140000Lancaster 2015-12-01: 144500Lancaster 2016-03-01: 147000Lancaster 2016-06-01: 148000Lancaster 2016-09-01: 152000Lancaster 2016-12-01: 152500Lancaster 2017-03-01: 154000Lancaster 2017-06-01: 155000Lancaster 2017-09-01: 151000Lancaster 2017-12-01: 150000Lancaster 2018-03-01: 150000Lancaster 2018-06-01: 150000Lancaster 2018-09-01: 154375Lancaster 2018-12-01: 153000Lancaster 2019-03-01: 152000Lancaster 2019-06-01: 155000Lancaster 2019-09-01: 155000Lancaster 2019-12-01: 158000Lancaster 2020-03-01: 159974.5Lancaster 2020-06-01: 159950Lancaster 2020-09-01: 161000Lancaster 2020-12-01: 169997Lancaster 2021-03-01: 176000Lancaster 2021-06-01: 179950Lancaster 2021-09-01: 180000Lancaster 2021-12-01: 179950Lancaster 2022-03-01: 175000Lancaster 2022-06-01: 175000Lancaster 2022-09-01: 179950Lancaster 2022-12-01: 185000Lancaster 2023-03-01: 185500

Current median rental prices by type of property

What's on this chart?

This chart shows current median rental prices by type of property in Lancaster.

Dataset

Lancaster
01200400800totalstudioroombed4plusbed3bed2bed1Lancaster bed1: 509Lancaster bed2: 619Lancaster bed3: 740Lancaster bed4plus: 906Lancaster room: 395Lancaster studio: 455Lancaster total: 641

Tenure type and poverty rates

What's on this chart?

This chart shows the poverty rates by type of tenure in Lancaster, both before and after housing costs. The threshold for low income poverty is households below 60% of median net household income in latest prices.

Dataset

HBAI by type of tenure

No data available at this level.

Poverty rates by tenure type (AHC)

What's on this chart?

This chart shows the poverty rates by type of tenure in Lancaster. The threshold for low income poverty is households below 60% of median net household income (after housing costs) in latest prices.

Dataset

HBAI by type of tenure

Things to add: Current and historic tenure mix - drawing on census data - Social housing sales - RTB - completions of new homes relative to existing stock

No data available at this level.

Lower quartile rent to lower quartile earnings ratio

What's on this chart?

This chart shows the ratio of lower quartile rent for a 2 bedroom property to lower quartile earnings across different areas in Lancaster. A higher value means the average person spends a larger proportion of their earnings on rent.

Dataset

No data available at this level.

Demographic breakdown

People living in households below average income by age category

What's on this chart?

This chart shows the the poverty rates by by age category in Lancaster. The threshold for low income poverty is households below 60% of median net household income (after housing costs) in latest prices.

Dataset

HBAI by age category

No data available at this level.

Council tax support

What's on this chart?

This chart shows the number of people claiming council tax support in Lancaster.

Dataset

Council Tax Support
Working-age
Pensioners
Year14593824000001509382400000155938240000016093824000001659382400000Number of people02000400060008000Working-age 2023-06-30: 5909Working-age 2023-03-31: 6064Working-age 2022-12-31: 6107Working-age 2022-09-30: 6286Working-age 2022-06-30: 6384Working-age 2022-03-31: 6513Working-age 2021-12-31: 6749Working-age 2021-09-30: 7084Working-age 2021-06-30: 7200Working-age 2021-03-31: 7249Working-age 2020-12-31: 7330Working-age 2020-09-30: 7226Working-age 2020-06-30: 7184Working-age 2020-03-31: 6943Working-age 2019-12-31: 6597Working-age 2019-09-30: 6612Working-age 2019-06-30: 6637Working-age 2019-03-31: 6725Working-age 2018-12-31: 6658Working-age 2018-09-30: 6535Working-age 2018-06-30: 6330Working-age 2018-03-31: 6258Working-age 2017-12-31: 6133Working-age 2017-09-30: 6163Working-age 2017-06-30: 6248Working-age 2017-03-31: 6226Working-age 2016-12-31: 6084Working-age 2016-09-30: 6241Working-age 2016-06-30: 6382Working-age 2016-03-31: 6360Pensioners 2023-06-30: 3633Pensioners 2023-03-31: 3688Pensioners 2022-12-31: 3712Pensioners 2022-09-30: 3738Pensioners 2022-06-30: 3746Pensioners 2022-03-31: 3774Pensioners 2021-12-31: 3802Pensioners 2021-09-30: 3857Pensioners 2021-06-30: 3868Pensioners 2021-03-31: 3870Pensioners 2020-12-31: 3951Pensioners 2020-09-30: 4013Pensioners 2020-06-30: 4032Pensioners 2020-03-31: 4043Pensioners 2019-12-31: 4122Pensioners 2019-09-30: 4171Pensioners 2019-06-30: 4187Pensioners 2019-03-31: 4204Pensioners 2018-12-31: 4261Pensioners 2018-09-30: 4337Pensioners 2018-06-30: 4388Pensioners 2018-03-31: 4438Pensioners 2017-12-31: 4516Pensioners 2017-09-30: 4577Pensioners 2017-06-30: 4638Pensioners 2017-03-31: 4674Pensioners 2016-12-31: 4756Pensioners 2016-09-30: 4827Pensioners 2016-06-30: 4867Pensioners 2016-03-31: 4930