Manchester Uni increases rent 28 per cent above inflation in 21 years, and plans more rises

Student rent at the University of Manchester has risen by 133 per cent in 21 years, with further rental increases planned for next year.

This figure means that rent has risen 28 per cent above the rate of inflation.

This data comes from the rental figures of 10 University of Manchester accommodation locations.

A 28 per cent increase in rent over 21 years means that, on average, rent has increased by 1.3 per cent each year.

Next year, the University of Manchester will almost triple this figure, increasing university-owned accommodation costs by three per cent.

Five per cent increases on leased accommodation are also planned for 2026/27.

The University of Manchester Students’ Union have said this rent hike means students are facing economic and social “crisis.”

“The outcome of unaffordability, rising rents and general inability to afford the basic essentials is a poor student experience,” a statement released by the union’s full-time officers said.

Weston Hall accommodation. Via Google Maps

In the 2004/05 academic year, accommodation at Weston Hall cost a student £77, according to a 2023 report from The Manchester Tab that utilised the university’s website archive.

Over the past 21 years, Weston Hall rent increased 41 per cent above the rate of inflation – now costing students £198 per week.

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This is the most significant increase from our recorded data. However, other accommodation blocks have also seen large rent increases.

Whitworth Park accommodation, which is self-catered and features shared bathrooms, has seen a weekly rent increase of £27 since 2004/05. With rent plans running for 41 weeks, this means students are paying £1107 extra every year to live in the cheapest accommodation in our records – above the rate of inflation. This is almost a full month’s expenses for a student in 2026, according to recent data from Save the Student.

Whitworth Park accommodation is university-owned, meaning it will see a three per cent increase in rental costs next year if the university’s plans go ahead. With this increase, students would be paying an extra £161.04 every year for this accommodation.

While the number seems small, it follows concerning data from the National Union of Students that reveals 11 per cent of students are accessing food banks.

A third of UK students are living on less than £50 a month after paying rent and bills. For Manchester students, a three per cent increase on even the cheapest accommodation would completely slash three months of this allowance.

Self-catered ensuite accommodation at the university, such as in Canterbury Court, starts at £180, which is a £38 weekly increase above inflation since 2004/05. This is costing students an extra £1558 per year.

A three per cent increase next year would see students paying £185.40 per week, costing them an extra £221.40 per year. That’s the average cost for a month and a half’s worth of food.

The Students’ Union said rises in costs are “battering” the university’s students, with their recent research revealing that between 20 and 30 per cent of home students at the uni are unable to cover the cost of groceries, transport, social events, course materials and societies on top of their rent.

The union said such a rent hike will “exacerbate Manchester’s descent into unaffordability.