Why are renters buying £10 accessories to make rented rooms feel like home while house prices add the equivalent of two years' salary in just four years? The latest ONS data reveals the stark mathematics behind Britain's housing divide.

Average house prices climbed from £1.34 million in 2017 to £1.47 million by 2021 — a jump of £136,000 that dwarfs most people's annual income. Even the single-year leap from 2020 to 2021 added £79,000 to the typical property value, more than double the median UK salary (Source: Office for National Statistics, House prices by local authority).

The 5.7% price rise in 2021 alone represents something profound: while homeowners watched their wealth grow by tens of thousands without lifting a finger, renters were left hunting for ways to personalise spaces they'll never own. Those £10 decorating tricks aren't just about aesthetics — they're about claiming some sense of home in a market that's priced out an entire generation.

Here's what that means in practice: a couple who bought their first home in 2017 has seen their property value increase by more than many people earn in three years. Meanwhile, their renting friends face Section 21 evictions, rising rents, and the psychological challenge of making temporary spaces feel permanent.

The trajectory tells the story of two Britains. Property wealth has grown relentlessly — even 2019's minor dip to £1.36 million was quickly erased by 2020's pandemic-driven surge. For the 4.4 million households who rent privately, each year brings the same reality: watching house prices climb further out of reach while their monthly payments disappear into someone else's mortgage.

The £10 decorating trend isn't really about interior design. It's about agency. When you can't choose your wallpaper, can't hang pictures without permission, and might get two months' notice to leave, those small acts of personalisation become acts of defiance against a system that treats you as temporary.

Every percentage point of house price growth widens the gap between those building wealth through property and those paying for the privilege of someone else's investment. The 2021 surge didn't just add numbers to balance sheets — it pushed homeownership further beyond reach for millions of Britons who are left making the best of spaces they'll never truly call their own.