Can a Solicitors and lawyers afford to rent in the UK?
Can a Solicitors and lawyers afford to rent in the UK?
A Solicitors and lawyers earns a full-time median of £56,977 per year (ONS ASHE 2025 provisional, April 2025). Across 8 UK regions, rent is affordable (below 30% of gross income) in 6 out of 8. Yorkshire and The Humber is most affordable at a Gera Affordability Ratio of 17.1%; London is least affordable at 35.3%.
Gera Affordability Ratio
Yorkshire and The Humber is most affordable for a Solicitors and lawyers. 6 of 8 regions are below the 30% ONS threshold.
How this is calculatedSolicitors and lawyers — salary and affordability summary
National median
£56,977
ONS ASHE 2025, FT
Monthly gross
£4,748
Before tax
Affordable regions
6/8
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 | £59,921 | £856 | 17.1% | 15.2% | 3.5× |
| North East | £43,170 | £776 | 21.6% | 19.1% | 3.8× |
| North West | £48,882 | £954 | 23.4% | 21.3% | 4.4× |
| East Midlands | £46,184 | £914 | 23.7% | 21.3% | 5.2× |
| Scotland | £50,160 | £1,009 | 24.1% | 21.7% | 3.8× |
| West Midlands | £48,093 | £966 | 24.1% | 21.8% | 5.2× |
| South East | £53,276 | £1,418 | 31.9% | 28.5% | 7.1× |
| London | £78,034 | £2,294 | 35.3% | 33.8% | 7.1× |
Frequently asked questions
- What is the median salary for a Solicitors and lawyers?
- According to ONS ASHE 2025 provisional data (reference period April 2025), the UK median gross annual pay for a Solicitors and lawyers working full-time is £56,977, which equals £4,748 per month before tax.
- Which UK region is most affordable for a Solicitors and lawyers to rent?
- Yorkshire and The Humber is the most affordable region for a Solicitors and lawyers to rent, with a Gera Affordability Ratio of 17.1% — average monthly rent £856 against a regional median salary of £59,921 (ONS ASHE 2025, April 2025).
- Where is it hardest for a Solicitors and lawyers to afford rent?
- London is the least affordable region, with a Gera Affordability Ratio of 35.3% — average monthly rent £2,294 versus regional median salary £78,034 for this occupation.
- Can a Solicitors and lawyers afford to buy a home in the UK?
- At the national median salary of £56,977, buying in North East would require a price-to-income ratio of 3.8× (average house price £163,190 ÷ regional salary £43,170). 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 Solicitors and lawyers?
- 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 Solicitors and lawyers jobs in affordable regions
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