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Funding

We fund and work in partnership with a range of organisations, collectives and individuals in pursuit of our mission.

Our current approach to funding

JRF’s external grants are largely tied to specific projects under our 3 focus areas. In 2025 we want to make more unrestricted grants, putting an additional £50 million to £100 million behind our mission-focused work over the coming 5-10 years.

Most of our funding is by invitation but we occasionally issue calls for proposals below.

Call for proposals: Landlord profits in the UK private rental market

We're inviting proposals for a short piece of economic analysis to explore the nature, extent and distribution of profits in the UK private rental sector (PRS).

About the project

Debates around private renting often hinge on assumptions about how profitable being a landlord really is. Opponents of stronger regulation argue that margins are tight, while advocates assume there’s room to redistribute excess profit without harming the market.

To date, there has been no empirical attempt to assess whether landlords make supernormal profits — returns significantly above normal levels. This project will fill that gap, helping to inform future JRF policy development on housing and the private rented sector.

What we’re looking for

We’re seeking an organisation or research team with strong quantitative and economic analysis skills, familiarity with PRS data, and experience producing policy-relevant work to tight deadlines.

The analysis should determine whether profits in the PRS are at, above or below normal levels, estimate the scale and sources of any supernormal profits (rental yield vs capital gain), and explore how they are distributed across landlord types, geographies and market segments.

Budget and timeline

  • Budget: up to £40,000 (including VAT)
  • Draft findings due: December 2025
  • Final outputs due: February 2026

How to apply

Submit a short proposal (maximum 4 pages) setting out your approach, timeline, delivery team and budget breakdown. Please read the invitation to tender for full details, including project objectives and key dates.

Deadline for proposals: 5pm, Tuesday 28 October 2025

For questions about this opportunity, contact Rosie Worsdale, Senior Policy Adviser (Housing), at rosie.worsdale@jrf.org.uk before Wednesday 22 October.

Our funded work