The bar chart illustrates the changes in the percentage of households living in either owned or rented accommodation in England and Wales from 1918 to 2011. Overall, it is clear that the proportion of households in rented accommodation saw a decline over the period, while the reverse was true for house ownership rates. It is also important to mention that after the year 1971, the percentage of households in owned accommodation eventually overtook rented ones.
In 1918, just under 80% of households rented an accommodation to live. This figure then experienced a slight drop to approximately 70% by 1939 and remained unchanged until the year 1953 before declining to about 60% in 1961. Accommodation ownership levels, on the other hand, stood at 23% in 1918, which had a rise to just under a third in 1939 and stayed stable by 1953. The disparity between proportions for owned and rented accommodation grew smaller over the following years. By 1971, the figures became the same, recording 50% each.
Over the following years, the percentage of households in owned accommodation surpassed rent ownership rates, accounting for respective marks of 60% and 40%. The former maintained its increasing trend until it reached a peak of 70% in 2001, and culminated in 65% in 2001, witnessing a mild decline. As for households in rented accommodation, its proportion dropped until 2001 to about 30%, after which there was a slight increase to 35% by 2011.