Rent-related crowdfunding campaigns in the UK have increased by 60% since 2022, according to data from GoFundMe, with more than 100,000 people per month now contributing to help others meet housing costs.
The platform reported that April saw the highest number of rent-related fundraisers created in any month on record, highlighting growing financial pressure on tenants across the country.
Market pressures on tenants
The trend reflects broader challenges in the rental market, where rising costs and limited supply have left many households unable to meet basic housing expenses. Recent analysis has examined policy proposals including rent controls alongside tax reforms as potential responses to affordability concerns.
Andrew Foster, 51, from Derby, turned to crowdfunding after his landlord increased his rent by 50%. Foster, who makes miniature figurines and cares full-time for his wife, said his income fell 40% after Brexit reduced his ability to sell products abroad. He used the platform to cover moving costs after being unable to afford the rent increase.
“I just felt I didn’t have a choice. I couldn’t borrow the amount of money that I needed from friends or family,” Foster said. The largest single donation he received was £300.
Housing support applications rise
Freedom of information data shows more than 300,000 families per year in England and Wales applied to local councils for discretionary housing payments between 2021-22 and 2023-24. Application refusals increased 40% over three years, from approximately 96,000 in 2021-22 to more than 134,000 in 2023-24.
Nick Jardine, 56, from Cornwall, used GoFundMe after receiving a section 21 no-fault eviction notice. Jardine, who became disabled following a tumour on his spine, faced the prospect of being separated from his family due to a shortage of council housing. The family raised more than £5,500 for a rental deposit and debt repayment.
“What you’re ending up with is society having to pay for itself,” Jardine said. “It makes you think: what are the government actually doing to help us?”
Shared ownership challenges
Tayla Hopkins, 33, raised £2,421 through crowdfunding to cover service charges on their shared-ownership flat in Birmingham, which increased from £800 to £4,600 annually. Hopkins said the experience highlighted problems facing people in shared ownership schemes, where rising costs have created financial difficulties for many owners.
“I bought this place under a government affordable housing scheme and the joke of it to now be in this position,” Hopkins said.
Implications for the rental sector
The increase in crowdfunding for rent payments indicates deteriorating affordability in the private rental sector. Housing charities have reported growing numbers of tenants struggling with rent payments, whilst the number of children in temporary accommodation in England has reached record levels.
The data comes as the rental market faces multiple pressures, with administrative challenges including extended local authority search delays adding further complications to housing transactions. The reliance on crowdfunding for basic housing costs suggests traditional support mechanisms may be insufficient to meet current demand in the rental market.