Private rents increased by 5.9% to an average of £1,343 a month, in the year to July, the Office for National Statistics reveals.

The latest figure represents a decrease from the 6.7% in the year to June.

This morning, the ONS reported that UK inflation had risen to 3.8% in the year to July, up from 3.6% in June.

Across the nation, average rents increased by 6.7% to £1,398 in England, by 7.9% to £807 in Wales, and by 3.6% to £999 in Scotland, in the 12 months to July.

In Northern Ireland, average rents lifted by 7.4% to £855 in the 12 months to May.

In England, private rents annual inflation was highest in the North East at 8.9% and lowest in Yorkshire and The Humber at 3.5%, in the year to June.

The North East continued to have the highest rent annual inflation rate of all English regions, at 8.9%, in the 12 months to July.

This annual rise was lower than the joint record-high in the 12 months to June at 9.7%.

Rent annual inflation remained lowest in Yorkshire and The Humber, at 3.5%, in the 12 months to July.

This annual rise remained unchanged from in the 12 months to June, following a year of slowing annual inflation.

London’s annual inflation was 6.3% in the 12 months to July, down from 7.3% in the 12 months to June. This was the eighth consecutive month of slowing annual inflation.

Average rent was highest in London at £2,250 and lowest in the North East at £736 in July.