In the UK, individual homeowners—specifically those occupying their own homes—hold the largest share, with roughly 65% of households owning their homes, either outright or with a mortgage, as of early 2023. However, land ownership is highly concentrated, with roughly 1% of the population owning half of England's land, including aristocratic estates.
But the real story lies in who is doing the buying. Despite headlines about Wall Street landlords, the market remains overwhelmingly controlled by small investors. Owners of just one to five properties account for 87% of all investor-owned homes, the report found. Another 4% belong to those with six to ten properties.
Half of England is Owned by Less Than 1% Shrubsole's research estimates that less than 1% of the population owns around 50% of the land in England. This includes aristocratic families who have held estates for centuries, large corporations, the Church of England, and the Crown.
If Nobody Can Afford A Home... Who's Going To Buy Them?
Which ethnicity owns the most houses in the UK?
1. Main facts and figures
in the 2 years to March 2023, an average of 65% of households in England owned their own homes.
70% of White British households owned their own homes – the highest percentage out of all ethnic groups, followed by households in the Indian ethnic group (68%)
Recent reports indicate that Indians have become the largest group of property owners in London, surpassing the native English population. This trend includes Indian-origin UK residents, non-resident Indians, foreign investors, students, and families relocating for various reasons.
Unclaimed land in the UK refers mostly to unregistered land, often held by families, the Church, or the Crown for generations, not truly ownerless, but without Land Registry details. You can potentially claim it through adverse possession, by occupying it exclusively (e.g., fencing it off) without permission for 10-12 years (registered/unregistered land) and applying to the Land Registry, proving your long-term, open possession. While there's no simple map, online resources map unregistered areas, and you'll need diligent investigation, documentation (photos, receipts), and potentially legal help to prove your claim.
Stan Kroenke, the rancher and billionaire owner of the Los Angeles Rams, Denver Nuggets and other major sports teams, is now the largest private landowner in the U.S., according to The Land Report, which tracks private land holdings.
The government (together with its QUANGOs) is the biggest land owner by area, the Forestry Commission owning some 2,200,000 acres (890,000 ha), the MoD 1,101,851 acres (445,903 ha), the Crown Estate 678,420 acres (274,550 ha), DEFRA 116,309 acres (47,069 ha) and Homes England 19,349 acres (7,830 ha).
Which country has the highest rate of homeownership?
Globally, some of the highest homeownership rates are found in Kazakhstan (98%), China (96%), and Romania (95.6%). In contrast, countries like Germany (47.6%) and Switzerland (42.3%) have much lower rates. In the United States, the homeownership rate is around 65.7%.
However, there is another significant “Big Four” within the commercial real estate and facility management sectors that deserves attention: CBRE, Cushman & Wakefield, Colliers, and JLL.
The British Royal Family is often described as the world's largest landholder, with King Charles III overseeing vast assets managed through the Crown Estate. Reports estimate that land linked to the monarchy covers around 16% of the Earth's surface, about 6.6 billion acres across multiple continents.
What family owns the most real estate in the world?
The largest landowner in the world currently is King Charles III of England. How much land does the Royal Family own? He and the British Royal Family own more than 6,600,000,000 acres of land around the world. They technically own many territories around the globe, amounting to 1/6 of the surface of the planet.
If you die within 7 years of giving away all or part of your property, your home will be treated as a gift and the 7 year rule applies. The 7 year rule does not apply to gifts with reservation.
To make a claim you will need to follow a very specific legal process: You must provide evidence you have been in possession of the land without the owner's permission for 10-12 years depending on whether the land is registered or unregistered. You must be able to show your possession was continuous.
The British Royal Family is linked to the world's most extensive landholdings, with King Charles III presiding over assets managed through the Crown Estate. Reports estimate the monarchy controls about 16% of Earth's land, roughly 6.6 billion acres spread across multiple continents.
Data on ethnicity shows that the highest level of owner occupation is found amongst those identifying as Indian (70%), with White British at a figure of 68% and Pakistani at 65%. Much lower figures are found for Bangladeshi (42%), Black Caribbean (40%) and Black African (23%) groups (Robinson et. al., 2024).
1. Anders Holch Povlsen. Anders Holch Povlsen is Scotland's richest man, and has been measured by Forbes as one of the 200 wealthiest people on the planet. His primary business interest has been retailer Bestseller, which began as a small shop run by Povlsen's parents in the Danish town of Ringkobing.
How many Pakistanis live in the UK? According to the UK 2021 census, the Pakistani population in the UK is around 1.6 million. The majority live in England and Wales (about 1.5 million).
