TENANTS in York are paying more to keep a roof over their heads than before the Covid-19 pandemic, new figures show.

Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures show the average rent per property paid by tenants across 3,450 homes in York in the year to March was £850.

This is a measure across all types of properties, from shared rooms to one-bed apartments to four-bed homes, so prices vary.

It was up by 6.3 per cent from £800 the year before.

In the year to March 2020, just before the pandemic, tenants paid an average of £750.

The ONS figures show rents in England increased by 4.9 per cent in the 12 months to May – up from 4.7 per cent in the 12 months to April - and the highest rise since records began in January 2006.

This included a 5.1 per cent increase in London, the third-highest annual increase in the capital since 2006, as well as a 5.1 per cent rise in Yorkshire and the Humber, a record for the region.

Housing charity Shelter said thousands of people are "battling to stay in their homes and face the threat of homelessness" as they attempt to keep up with rents rocketing to record levels.