Affordable housing allows people to live healthy and productive lives in inclusive communities. In recent years, rents in Wales have increased and there has been lower availability of affordable rental units, exacerbated by the post-pandemic cost-of-living crisis.

Alma Economics was commissioned by the Welsh Government to identify and map current and historical data on rents and affordability in Wales. The purpose of our research was to develop an understanding of the rental market structures in Wales in order to inform relevant policy development.

Our team carried out scoping interviews with rental market stakeholders and data holders to understand the policy environment and obtain available data. We also reviewed relevant documentation and followed a systematic approach to search, identify and review publicly available datasets. We then analysed data trends, patterns and geographical breakdowns across housing indicators and produced accessible spatial maps and data visualisations to present key indicators of the Welsh housing rental market.

The report is available here.

The executive summary can be accessed here.