Who Spends the Most Making a House a Home?
We've delved into data from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) to find out which age groups spend the most and least on various aspects of household spending, so you can see how your spending compares.
- How Much do UK Households Spend on Their Homes, by Category?
- How Much do UK Households Spend on Their Homes, by Region?
- How Much do UK Households Spend on Their Homes, by Region and Category?
Average UK Spending on Household Goods & Services, by Category
Of the £1,889 spent by UK households each year on their homes, nearly half goes towards big-ticket items like furniture and furnishings. In total, making-a-house-a-home spending represents over 6% of the average UK household budget. After furniture and furnishings, we tend to put the most money towards routine household maintenance to keep our homes running well and appliances like washing machines, toasters and hoovers.
| Average Annual UK Spending on Household Goods & Services | July 2024 Estimate |
|---|---|
| Furniture and furnishings | £702 |
| Routine household maintenance | £372 |
| Household appliances | £250 |
| Floor coverings | £175 |
| Tools and equipment for house and garden | £169 |
| Household textiles | £123 |
| Glassware, tableware and household utensils | £98 |
| Average Annual Spending | £1,889 |
Average UK Spending on Household Goods & Services, by Region
Households in the South East spend more than any other region on household goods & services, spending £2,082 per year (12.5% more than average) on furniture, textiles, appliances, etc. Households in Wales spend the least, an average spend of £1,604 per year.
| Average Annual UK Spending on Household Goods & Services, by region | |
|---|---|
| Wales | £1,604 |
| West Midlands | £1,666 |
| Scotland | £1,708 |
| North West | £1,744 |
| East Midlands | £1,752 |
| North East | £1,763 |
| London | £1,831 |
| East | £1,957 |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | £1,985 |
| Northern Ireland | £1,995 |
| South West | £1,996 |
| South East | £2,082 |
| England | £1,882 |
| United Kingdom | £1,850 |
Breaking Down the Data
To see how detailed spending patterns change with region, we've used the data to see which region spends the least and the most by subcategory. For instance, while households in Wales spend the least overall, they actually spend the most on the home textiles subcategory.
Specifically, we can see the average annual household spending for each subcategory by age group in the following table and chart.
| Average Annual UK Spending on Household Goods & Services, by region | Furniture and furnishings | Routine household maintenance | Household appliances | Floor coverings | Tools and equipment for house and garden | Household textiles | Glassware, tableware and household utensils |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wales | £495 | £361 | £125 | £142 | £164 | £219 | £98 |
| West Midlands | £599 | £344 | £165 | £164 | £169 | £128 | £98 |
| Scotland | £686 | £304 | £185 | £170 | £169 | £102 | £93 |
| North West | £573 | £361 | £230 | £142 | £196 | £134 | £108 |
| East Midlands | £526 | £349 | £354 | £170 | £158 | £107 | £87 |
| North East | £789 | £298 | £170 | £197 | £120 | £107 | £82 |
| London | £810 | £384 | £170 | £164 | £120 | £86 | £98 |
| East | £599 | £441 | £245 | £225 | £213 | £118 | £118 |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | £717 | £384 | £270 | £235 | £180 | £91 | £108 |
| Northern Ireland | £758 | £435 | £145 | £230 | £185 | £123 | £118 |
| South West | £820 | £418 | £155 | £203 | £164 | £123 | £113 |
| South East | £769 | £475 | £230 | £159 | £234 | £96 | £118 |
| England | £691 | £395 | £220 | £181 | £180 | £107 | £108 |
| United Kingdom | £686 | £384 | £210 | £181 | £174 | £112 | £103 |
Regardless of how much you spend on your home, be sure to invest in a suitable insurance policy. If you're not sure where to begin, take a look at our article on good, cheap home insurance companies—even if you're renting.