Can a Head teachers and principals afford to rent in the UK?
Can a Head teachers and principals afford to rent in the UK?
A Head teachers and principals earns a full-time median of £72,192 per year (ONS ASHE 2025 provisional, April 2025). Across 9 UK regions, rent is affordable (below 30% of gross income) in 9 out of 9. Yorkshire and The Humber is most affordable at a Gera Affordability Ratio of 12.2%; South East is least affordable at 24.2%.
Gera Affordability Ratio
Yorkshire and The Humber is most affordable for a Head teachers and principals. 9 of 9 regions are below the 30% ONS threshold.
How this is calculatedHead teachers and principals — salary and affordability summary
National median
£72,192
ONS ASHE 2025, FT
Monthly gross
£6,016
Before tax
Affordable regions
9/9
GAR ≤ 30%
Rent affordability by UK region
Gera Affordability Ratio = (monthly rent ÷ regional median monthly salary) × 100. Sorted most affordable first. Click a region for a detailed breakdown.
| Region | Salary | Avg rent / mo | GAR | GAR 2-bed | Buy ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yorkshire and The Humber | £84,472 | £856 | 12.2% | 10.8% | 2.5× |
| Wales | £79,040 | £836 | 12.7% | 11.7% | 2.7× |
| North East | £70,171 | £776 | 13.3% | 11.7% | 2.3× |
| East Midlands | £78,202 | £914 | 14.0% | 12.6% | 3.1× |
| North West | £73,613 | £954 | 15.6% | 14.2% | 2.9× |
| Scotland | £68,190 | £1,009 | 17.8% | 16.0% | 2.8× |
| South West | £65,774 | £1,234 | 22.5% | 19.3% | 4.6× |
| East of England | £67,360 | £1,280 | 22.8% | 20.3% | 5× |
| South East | £70,381 | £1,418 | 24.2% | 21.6% | 5.4× |
Frequently asked questions
- What is the median salary for a Head teachers and principals?
- According to ONS ASHE 2025 provisional data (reference period April 2025), the UK median gross annual pay for a Head teachers and principals working full-time is £72,192, which equals £6,016 per month before tax.
- Which UK region is most affordable for a Head teachers and principals to rent?
- Yorkshire and The Humber is the most affordable region for a Head teachers and principals to rent, with a Gera Affordability Ratio of 12.2% — average monthly rent £856 against a regional median salary of £84,472 (ONS ASHE 2025, April 2025).
- Where is it hardest for a Head teachers and principals to afford rent?
- South East is the least affordable region, with a Gera Affordability Ratio of 24.2% — average monthly rent £1,418 versus regional median salary £70,381 for this occupation.
- Can a Head teachers and principals afford to buy a home in the UK?
- At the national median salary of £72,192, buying in North East would require a price-to-income ratio of 2.3× (average house price £163,190 ÷ regional salary £70,171). That is rated "Accessible" — Under 5× salary — historically accessible range. The full buy-ratio across all regions is shown in the table below.
- How is the Gera Affordability Ratio calculated for a Head teachers and principals?
- GAR = (monthly_rent ÷ regional_median_monthly_salary) × 100. Salary from ONS ASHE 2025 (Table 15(4).7a, region × occupation, full-time median). Rent from ONS PIPR May 2026 (regional average monthly private rent). A ratio ≤ 30% is "affordable" per ONS guidance. Full methodology: https://gerajobs.com/affordability/methodology.
Data sources
Salary: Office for National Statistics — Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) 2025 provisional · Open Government Licence v3.0
Rent: Office for National Statistics — Price Index of Private Rents (PIPR), May 2026 · Open Government Licence v3.0
House prices: HM Land Registry — UK House Price Index (UKHPI), April 2026 · Open Government Licence v3.0
Find Head teachers and principals jobs in affordable regions
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