Stories

Fri, 01 May 2026

Fri, 01 May 2026 'I earn £36k but I can't afford to buy a house'

Shelter Cymru says privately rented homes are unaffordable for most people across Wales.

* Daniel King, a 36-year-old HGV driver in Cardiff, earns £35,000-£36,000 per year and rents a one-bedroom flat for £900 per month, spending around 65-70% of his income on rent, council tax, and bills.
* Despite working hard and being eligible for a mortgage, King says it's impossible to save for a deposit as a single person without "generational wealth".
* Research by Shelter Cymru found that the private rented sector is unaffordable for most people in Wales, with only households with two full-time earners, low-cost childcare, and access to mid-Wales able to afford rent.
* The charity defines affordability as renting costing less than a third of a person's income, but official data suggests rent is affordable across Wales except in Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan.
* Shelter Cymru claims there is a "crisis of unaffordability" in the private rented sector, leading to increased homelessness, temporary accommodation, and difficulty buying a home.
* Landlords argue that costs have risen for them too, including due to changes in rent laws, interest rates, and increased regulations.
* The Welsh government has been criticized by various parties for not doing enough to address the housing crisis, with Plaid Cymru proposing a national body to accelerate social housing delivery, and Welsh Labour promising 100,000 new homes over 10 years.