Budget could push rents higher
Tuesday 25th August, 2026
RICS says a proposed 8% National Insurance charge on UK landlord profits could reduce rental supply, increase rents and lead to fewer property improvements.
This gives Rightmove a chance to explain what the Budget could mean for renters facing rising competition and fewer available homes across the UK.
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Why have we flagged this?
RICS’s research suggests a possible Budget measure could push up rents and reduce rental supply, giving you an opportunity to share rental-market data and trends.
Get reactive idea inspiration
Thinking...
These are starting points for inspiration, not finished ideas.
Newsjack
Create a renter’s guide to judging rent increases
Publish a clear guide explaining what renters should check when a landlord proposes a rent rise linked to higher costs.
Newsjack angle: Create the guide within days and offer it to national consumer, money and property desks alongside a Rightmove property expert’s comments.
Why: It turns an abstract Budget debate into practical help for renters, giving consumer journalists a useful service story.
Data idea
Measure rental supply and asking rents around Budget changes
Show whether available rental homes and asking rents moved together after the Budget announcement.
Data to investigate: Analyse your rental listing data as one source, comparing the number of available listings and average asking rents before and after the announcement.
Why: It would give journalists a timely, real-world measure of whether concerns about rental supply are appearing in the market.
Expert comment
Explain why higher landlord costs may shrink rental choice first
A Rightmove spokesperson can argue that renters may face fewer available homes before seeing the full impact through higher asking rents.
Expert comment angle: Offer this view to consumer property and Budget journalists, stressing that landlords cannot raise rents indefinitely where local affordability is already stretched.
Why: It adds a specific market explanation to RICS’s warning rather than simply repeating that rents could rise.