The given bar chart illustrates the proportion of households residing in rented accommodation in England and Wales, over a 93-years period, from 1918 to 2011.
Overall, the proportion of households that owned rented accommodation in England and Wales increased significantly from 1918 to 1971, while the latter 30-years period witness a more moderate rise. Additionally, the number of households living in rented accommodation experienced a sharp rise over the period indicated.
During the 1918-to-1971 period, which saw a dramatic rise, the year 1981 was documented to have the lowest figure for households residing in rented accommodation, at about 10%. However, this figure rose steadily, surpassing 20% in 1939, before a sharp drop during the Second World War, touching its lower point of approximately 14% in 1951. After remaining stable throughout the 1950s, the number of households living in rented accommodation surged again during the 1960s, and by 1971, nearly one-third of households in England and Wales resided in rented accommodation.
In contrast, the latter part of aforementioned period shown a moderate rise. By the year 1981, the figure for households living in rented accommodation climbs to nearly 35%, and this upward trend continued throughout the 1980s and 1990s, with the percentage of rented accommodation peaking at just over 37% in 1991. Finally, there was a slight decline in rented accommodation in the early 21st century, with the percentage of households living in rented housing falling to approximately 36% by 2011.