According to the Office For National Statistics, Half of all British adults say they experience loneliness. For more than a quarter, it’s a regular or constant part of life.
At a time when isolation is being described as an epidemic, it’s worth asking: what if one of the most effective solutions has been sitting quietly within the housing market all along?
The social power of shared living
Shared living is when people choose to live together in well-managed, high-quality homes. It isn’t just about splitting bills, it’s about creating daily connection in a world where community is becoming increasingly harder to find.
Our latest analysis of the rental market highlights just how much potential exists for shared living to help people build connection, friendship, and belonging. Across Britain, only 10.8% of all rental listings are currently shared homes, yet in regions where shared living thrives, the benefits for tenants, and for local communities are clear.
The most sociable regions
According to The State of Shared living report, Yorkshire & Humber leads the way as Britain’s most sociable housing market, with 21.3% of rental listings made up of HMOs and shared houses.
The East Midlands follows at 19.7%, and Wales comes next at 14%. Other regions above the national average include the South West, West Midlands, and North West.
At the other end of the scale, Scotland (2.3%) and London (3.4%) have surprisingly low levels of shared living, despite the capital’s reputation as the country’s co-living hub.
A misunderstood solution
Despite its clear social benefits, shared living is too often dismissed or restricted by local authorities due to outdated perceptions of HMOs as “problem houses.”
This stigma prevents the development of well-managed, purpose-built shared homes — the very kind that could help reduce isolation, particularly among young professionals, key workers, and those relocating to new cities.
When shared living is done well, it offers something that individual renting rarely can: community. It brings people together across backgrounds and life stages, helping them build friendships that support mental health and wellbeing
Our Founder and CEO, Vann Vogstad, commented:
“We believe that shared living should be a genuinely enriching experience where lasting friendships are formed and people have others around to help shape the inevitable ups and downs of life.
This is a particularly powerful concept when you consider how prevalent feelings of loneliness and isolation have become in our society, not least among young people. COHO is not here to diagnose the state of the nation nor place blame at anyone’s door; only to provide a platform on which renters can find likeminded people to share their home and life with for a brief or long period of time. If you’re moving to a new city, or find your life circumstances suddenly and unexpectedly changed, a shared house can be a lifeline and, I genuinely believe, a transformational experience.
It’s concerning, therefore, to see shared living opportunities so few and far between in some parts of Britain. The more we can do as a society to promote community and connection – big or small – the better chance we have of reducing the levels of loneliness that are currently affecting too many people. That’s why we urge the government and local councils to do more to support and promote shared living within their communities. In particular, we urge councils to stop seeing all HMOs as ‘problem houses’ and instead embrace shared living when it is being delivered by honest, caring professional investors and expert agencies. It’s far too common for councils to use Article 4 to block new HMOs at the planning stage without properly considering the benefits of well-managed shared living”
According to the Office For National Statistics, Half of all British adults say they experience loneliness. For more than a quarter, it’s a regular or constant part of life.
At a time when isolation is being described as an epidemic, it’s worth asking: what if one of the most effective solutions has been sitting quietly within the housing market all along?
The social power of shared living
Shared living is when people choose to live together in well-managed, high-quality homes. It isn’t just about splitting bills, it’s about creating daily connection in a world where community is becoming increasingly harder to find.
Our latest analysis of the rental market highlights just how much potential exists for shared living to help people build connection, friendship, and belonging. Across Britain, only 10.8% of all rental listings are currently shared homes, yet in regions where shared living thrives, the benefits for tenants, and for local communities are clear.
The most sociable regions
According to The State of Shared living report, Yorkshire & Humber leads the way as Britain’s most sociable housing market, with 21.3% of rental listings made up of HMOs and shared houses.
The East Midlands follows at 19.7%, and Wales comes next at 14%. Other regions above the national average include the South West, West Midlands, and North West.
At the other end of the scale, Scotland (2.3%) and London (3.4%) have surprisingly low levels of shared living, despite the capital’s reputation as the country’s co-living hub.
A misunderstood solution
Despite its clear social benefits, shared living is too often dismissed or restricted by local authorities due to outdated perceptions of HMOs as “problem houses.”
This stigma prevents the development of well-managed, purpose-built shared homes — the very kind that could help reduce isolation, particularly among young professionals, key workers, and those relocating to new cities.
When shared living is done well, it offers something that individual renting rarely can: community. It brings people together across backgrounds and life stages, helping them build friendships that support mental health and wellbeing
Our Founder and CEO, Vann Vogstad, commented:
“We believe that shared living should be a genuinely enriching experience where lasting friendships are formed and people have others around to help shape the inevitable ups and downs of life.
This is a particularly powerful concept when you consider how prevalent feelings of loneliness and isolation have become in our society, not least among young people. COHO is not here to diagnose the state of the nation nor place blame at anyone’s door; only to provide a platform on which renters can find likeminded people to share their home and life with for a brief or long period of time. If you’re moving to a new city, or find your life circumstances suddenly and unexpectedly changed, a shared house can be a lifeline and, I genuinely believe, a transformational experience.
It’s concerning, therefore, to see shared living opportunities so few and far between in some parts of Britain. The more we can do as a society to promote community and connection – big or small – the better chance we have of reducing the levels of loneliness that are currently affecting too many people. That’s why we urge the government and local councils to do more to support and promote shared living within their communities. In particular, we urge councils to stop seeing all HMOs as ‘problem houses’ and instead embrace shared living when it is being delivered by honest, caring professional investors and expert agencies. It’s far too common for councils to use Article 4 to block new HMOs at the planning stage without properly considering the benefits of well-managed shared living”
