iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Joseph Elliott @jelliott94.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

We’ve been hearing for years that the private rented sector has been shrinking, claims which have gone into overdrive since the Renters Rights Act. But the official estimates of the size of the private rented sector shows it continued to grow through to 2025.

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Joseph Elliott @jelliott94.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

The new Minimum Income Standard is out- the income needed to meet a standard of living we, as a society, agree that everyone in the UK should be able to meet. This year the story of MIS is predominantly a housing one; reliance on the private rented sector has bumped budgets up⬇️

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Will Stronge @wstronge.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

In short: you can have decent rent controls whilst *reducing* the likelihood of landlord sell offs (and therefore evictions). The government's current position is untenable.

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Maya SH @msingerhobbs.bsky.social · 13/07/2026

Great turn-out today at our parliamentary drop-in on rent controls! Some really productive conversations with MPs and staffers Lovely to host it with @jelliott94.bsky.social, @georgebangham.bsky.social, @bethstratford.bsky.social, @rachaelhenry.bsky.social and Grace Brown 1/2

Five people stand in front of some pull-up banners holding a sign that says "I support fairer rents"

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Francisca Ladouch @franladouch.bsky.social · 01/07/2026

1/ ❓What happens when you get sick or have a baby? For millions in the UK, these life events can quickly lead to financial insecurity. Today, my colleague @meriahlberg.bsky.social and I are publishing a new @jrf-uk.bsky.social report on the UK's in-work protections. 🧵

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Joseph Rowntree Foundation @jrf-uk.bsky.social · 21/05/2026

📆 27th May at 10am Join us and @Autonomy_Inst for a discussion of last week's rent controls briefing! We'll set out the findings, including the scale of returns many landlords generate, as well as the impact of interest rates on these profits. Sign up: bit.ly/49a5qlx

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Shelter @sheltercharity.bsky.social · 15/05/2026

New research from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation has found the majority of landlords make above average rates of return AND that limiting rent increases in England could save the government more than £600m a year by 2030. Makes you think, right? 👉🏽 www.jrf.org.uk/housing/how-...

Reads 'Psst... new research on landlord profits' with the side eye emoji

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Joseph Elliott @jelliott94.bsky.social · 19/05/2026

"Private renters would have had an extra 2.2 million rental properties to choose from if the market had grown at pre-2016 rates": LandlordZone. Pretty devastating? But it precipitated a rebound in home ownership; people paying their own mortgage rather than their landlords..

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Joseph Elliott @jelliott94.bsky.social · 18/05/2026

Read our report on rent controls and tax reform (which I believe Zack is citing below) ⬇️ bsky.app/profile/jrf-...

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Abby Jitendra @abbyabhaya.bsky.social · 14/05/2026

The debate about rent controls is too often about negative impacts (which need to be taken seriously). But can landlords actually afford to bear more financial risk than they are bearing now? New research suggests yes - important reading for policymakers.

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Renters' Reform Coalition @rentersreformco.bsky.social · 14/05/2026

Powerful new research from @jrf-uk.bsky.social demonstrates how a rent cap could save renters over a grand a year (and the government £600m). Unchecked rents are driving renters out of their homes. These are serious proposals - the government should pay attention. inews.co.uk/news/how-ren...

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Beth Stratford @bethstratford.bsky.social · 14/05/2026

Finally, we have data to show vast majority of landlords earn supernormal returns: even with high interest rates, 63% outperform a 60:40 equity-gilt portfolio & 71% beat the broader real estate sector. Proud to have co-authored this with @autonomy-institute.bsky.social autonomy.work/portfolio/th...

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Joseph Elliott @jelliott94.bsky.social · 15/05/2026

Around a quarter of private renters in the UK spend over 40% of disposable income on rents. This is among the highest rates across the world. Meanwhile new analysis for JRF finds being a private landlord has been one of the best investment options available to individuals.

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Joseph Rowntree Foundation @jrf-uk.bsky.social · 14/05/2026

🚨 NEW! Our report out today concludes rent controls can ease the pressure on renters, without jeopardising the private rented sector. A rent control could: - Make renters nearly £1200 a year better off by 2030 - Reduce the housing benefit bill by £600m, even with annual LHA uprating Here's how 👇

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Joseph Elliott @jelliott94.bsky.social · 14/05/2026

New from JRF: we need Rent Controls (and Tax Reform). Landlords have been cashing in on rents and house price growth, making excessive returns, while tenants are paying exorbitant rents which drive economic insecurity, poverty and homelessness. New policy and research from us⬇️

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Ant Breach @antbreach.bsky.social · 23/04/2026

Britain's big cities are not very dense. But why? And where should they be looking to build upwards? The answer lies in the postwar housing (blue) built in "collars" around the big city centres. This is very low density + should be the priority for densification. Quick thread:

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Joseph Rowntree Foundation @jrf-uk.bsky.social · 20/04/2026

Last week, we published our briefing on affordability in the private rented sector (PRS) We pointed to average rent-to-income ratios being persistently high as one of the key issues renters face. Today, we'll explain how this is particularly acute for low-income households ⬇️

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Joseph Elliott @jelliott94.bsky.social · 18/04/2026

Shocking statistic ⬇️ The hallmark of a generation increasingly unable to achieve the milestones previous generations took for granted.. Its is an issue we discussed in our latest UK Poverty report, one which clearly intersects with low-incomes and lack of opportunity.

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Joseph Elliott @jelliott94.bsky.social · 18/04/2026

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Anna Clarke @annaclarke.bsky.social · 16/04/2026

Rents staying flat very much suggests that any worries about a mass exodus of landlords in advance of the Renter's Rights Act coming in next month were unfounded.

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Joseph Rowntree Foundation @jrf-uk.bsky.social · 13/04/2026

🚨 New briefing out today! Our latest analysis looks at the challenges faced by renters in the Private Rented Sector (PRS) We've identified a few distinct but connected ways of understanding the affordability pressures that private renters are facing 🔽

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Joseph Elliott @jelliott94.bsky.social · 13/04/2026

It's a bit of a myth that rents are constantly increasing faster than earnings or overall inflation - on average, they're not. So what *is* the problem of unaffordability in the private rented sector? And what does this mean for how we go about fixing it? Our take 🧵⬇️

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Joseph Elliott @jelliott94.bsky.social · 30/03/2026

New poverty statistics have been published. 4.5 million private renters (34%) and 4.1m social renters (36%) are in poverty. Poverty rate for private renters is fairly static, slightly down for social renters (21-23 to 24/25), and slightly up for those buying with a mortgage.

Old and revised poverty rate statistics by tenure over time

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Joseph Elliott @jelliott94.bsky.social · 25/03/2026

New stats show rents have increased by over 25% in some areas since LHA rates were frozen. Rent growth recently has been exceptionally high, levels of housing support are inadequate. The result? Families cover their rent with money meant for food and toiletries.

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Joseph Elliott @jelliott94.bsky.social · 02/03/2026

"Cost-of-living pressures from rent are easing rather than intensifying"? Not for the 2.3 million private renting households who say it's difficult to afford their rents. The rate of which rents are rising may be slowing, but renters are still under pressure.

Approaching half of private renting households report finding it difficult to afford their rent (45%), compare to 30% of social renters and 26% of mortgage holders.

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Joseph Rowntree Foundation @jrf-uk.bsky.social · 26/02/2026

🗣️"When we fail to make sure we all have a decent home that we can afford, we’re failing in our most basic responsibility to protect people’s dignity." Lead Analyst @jelliott94.bsky.social in @the-independent.com on the two abysmal new records in today's homelessness stats bit.ly/4sa931L

independent.co.uk

Rough sleeping hits record high in England

The number of households in temporary accommodation is also at record levels

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Joseph Elliott @jelliott94.bsky.social · 26/02/2026

New statistics released today show two abysmal new records: - A record high number of people sleeping rough - A record high number of households and children living in temporary accommodation These are the most devastating indicators of the failure of our housing system ⬇️

Graph showing a record high number of people sleeping rough in Autumn 2025

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Joseph Elliott @jelliott94.bsky.social · 06/02/2026

Everyones keen for a bit of rent control.. (via YouGov)

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Joseph Rowntree Foundation @jrf-uk.bsky.social · 30/01/2026

🏘️ ‘High rents and rising mortgage costs are hitting families hard' Around 4 in 10 renters are in poverty once housing costs are taken into account, Lead Analyst @jelliott94.bsky.social explains.

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Joseph Elliott @jelliott94.bsky.social · 29/01/2026

A new way to explore UK Poverty data ⬇️ Poverty is deepening. Developing solutions to tackle this problem starts with clear, accessible evidence. To make our data more accessible we’ve published all charts, maps and tables from our UK Poverty 2026 in a new, interactive dashboard.

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Joseph Rowntree Foundation @jrf-uk.bsky.social · 27/01/2026

Poverty is deepening. 🔎 Our #UKPoverty2026 report was launched this morning. People in very deep poverty now make up the biggest group of people in poverty, at 6.8 million people. This is unacceptable for the fifth richest country in the world, and it has consequences.

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Joseph Rowntree Foundation @jrf-uk.bsky.social · 13/01/2026

📅 Save the date! On Thursday 29th Jan, we'll be hosting a webinar to discuss the findings of our UK Poverty 2026 report. We'll share insight and discussion about our report that will set out the depth and breadth of poverty in the UK. Don't miss out, sign up now: bit.ly/459R16V

Promotional image for a JRF webinar titled "UK Poverty 2026: The essential guide to understanding poverty in the UK," featuring an adult pushing a stroller and walking with a child, set for January 29, 2026, from 10:30 AM to 12 PM, with a red brick house in the background.

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Joseph Elliott @jelliott94.bsky.social · 17/12/2025

New English Housing Survey data shows a big increase in mortgage holders and private renters reporting difficulty in affording housing costs since 2019-20. High interest rates and rents continuing to exert a lot of pain on families, and continued LHA freeze isn't helping either.

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Joseph Elliott @jelliott94.bsky.social · 17/12/2025

New English Housing Survey data! Interesting tenure trends figures; the growth of the private rented sector has stalled since 2016, though claims of an 'exodus' seem greatly exaggerated. Increasing numbers now paying their own mortgage instead of their landlords - good🏡

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Joseph Rowntree Foundation @jrf-uk.bsky.social · 04/12/2025

Children are bearing the brunt of poverty in Northern Ireland. Too many families face unthinkable choices between feeding their children or keeping their homes warm. 18 months out from the next Assembly election, our Poverty in NI report looks at the action that's needed 🔽

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Scot Hunter @scothunter.bsky.social · 28/11/2025

The new Welsh IMD shows persistent disadvantage across Wales. While there has been some minor adjustments to the methodology, the overall picture is similar to that of the 2019 release.

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Joseph Elliott @jelliott94.bsky.social · 28/11/2025

> Home purchased for £4k in 1970, now worth £4m > That's £3.945m more than if it had just increased with inflation > Her house has effectively gained £72k in value every year in today's prices > Her house earned around double what the average UK earner did each year

I bought my home for £4000 in 1970, I worry about the mansion tax

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Anna Clarke @annaclarke.bsky.social · 27/11/2025

These figures are bleak - and nothing at all in the budget yesterday to address them. Instead Local Housing Allowance remains frozen.

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Joseph Elliott @jelliott94.bsky.social · 27/11/2025

New homelessness figures today show a continued upwards trajectory in the numbers of children and households living in temporary accommodation, reaching new record highs. Yesterday the OBR reported cost of TA to local authorities increased 20% *a year* between 2022-23 and 2024-25.

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Peter Matejic @statspeter.bsky.social · 26/11/2025

Chancellor said lifting 2-child limit means "Biggest reduction in child poverty over a Parliament since records began." Estimated 400k reduction would be, but modelling is always uncertain. What is certain is that removing the 2 Child Limit is pivotal to the fall.

DWP modelling show a fall of 400,000 over the current Parliament. This would be the biggest on record, exceeding falls of 300,000 under the first Government of Tony Blair and the Government of Harold Wilson and James Callaghan.

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Iain Porter @iainkporter.bsky.social · 26/11/2025

Today the OBR finally published employment impacts of Govt’s (remaining) disability benefit cuts, which weren’t ready in the spring. Confirms @jrf-uk.bsky.social analysis at the time that these huge cuts to disabled people’s incomes come with relatively few expected to move into work. 🧵1/3

Image from OBR's Budget docuoment: "Our economy forecast now incorporates the net effect of the changes to universal credit (UC)
policies which remain in force following the policy changes made in July. We estimate these will add around 15,000 average hours equivalent (AHE) to labour supply in 2029-30. This reflects
the net effect of: (1) the increase in the generosity of the UC standard allowance, which is expected to reduce recipients’ financial incentive to enter or remain in employment, leading to an estimated 11,000 AHE reduction to labour supply; and (2) the reductions in the generosity of and eligibility for health-related benefits in UC, which
are expected to lower income for new claimants, increasing work incentives, and resulting in an estimated 26,000 AHE increase in labour supply. We have also assessed the new employment support programme announced in the Green Paper. Based on evidence from similar past schemes, combined with the Department for Work
and Pensions’ range of estimates of the numbers of individuals that could be provided with support, we estimate that the programme could support 20,000 to 40,000 inactive claimants"

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Yasmin Ibison @yasminibison.bsky.social · 26/11/2025

Every child, no matter their background, deserves to have a good start in life. Ethnic minority children were disproportionately impacted by the two child limit which widens ethnic disparities in child poverty rates. Scrapping this cruel policy to lift 450000 children out of poverty is a huge win!

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Joseph Elliott @jelliott94.bsky.social · 26/11/2025

Reeves responding to a heckle against taxing the rich more to reduce child poverty: "I think if you've got a house worth over £5m you can probably afford it" 🔥🔥🔥

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Joseph Rowntree Foundation @jrf-uk.bsky.social · 25/11/2025

💼 With less than 24 hours to go until the Budget, we're thinking about the options available to the Chancellor. Hear from our Chief Economist @chrisbelfield.bsky.social on three key policies that will make a lasting impact on reducing poverty. 🔽

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Peter Matejic @statspeter.bsky.social · 24/11/2025

A child poverty strategy with the 2-child limit in place would *not* be a credible child poverty strategy. *All* of the growth in child poverty since the 2011/12 low point is for children in scope of this policy.

Between 2011/12 and 2023/24, child poverty rose by 900,000 in total. This is entirely due to increases in poverty in families with three or more children, with a small fall in poverty for smaller families over the period.

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Francisca Ladouch @franladouch.bsky.social · 28/10/2025

1/ 📉 Real earnings growth in the UK has slowed sharply and the hit is falling hardest on lower earners. A quick thread on what the latest Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) tells us 👇

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Joseph Elliott @jelliott94.bsky.social · 22/10/2025

Rents have increased by a fifth in recent years since Local Housing Housing allowance was frozen, up £210 a month!! The strain of this freeze on private renters is immense; in April around 40% of private renters in receipt of LHA said they didn't have enough to cover rent.

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Joseph Elliott @jelliott94.bsky.social · 13/10/2025

Calling housing academics, researchers and economists - we've put out a tender for research on private landlord profits; how substantial are they, how are they distributed, from rent vs. capital etc. Apply at the link below! Budget up to £40k including vat. Please reshare!!

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Joseph Elliott @jelliott94.bsky.social · 13/10/2025

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Joseph Elliott @jelliott94.bsky.social · 11/09/2025

New report: Taxing landlords more is good, actually. Since 2016, tax reforms helped slash the growth of the private rented sector and boosted first-time buyers—without hurting existing tenants. A big housing story hiding in plain sight? ⬇️

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