Land in the UK is owned by a combination of private individuals, corporations, and various government entities, resulting in a highly unequal distribution—a small number of large estates and organizations own major portions of the land, while many own small areas or none at all[2].
The UK government, through bodies such as the Ministry of Defence (MOD), Forestry Commission, and Crown Estate, is the single biggest landowner by area. As of April 2025, the MOD alone held 341,400 hectares (about 1.4% of the UK land mass) including both freehold and leasehold land[1]. Other major government-related landowners include the Forestry Commission (roughly 890,000 hectares), and the Crown Estate (about 274,550 hectares)[2].
Beyond government ownership, several large institutions, charities, trusts, and the Church of England maintain significant landholdings. Notable examples are the National Trust and the National Trust for Scotland (with around 238,663 hectares), the RSPB (134,000 hectares), and the Church of England (42,000 hectares)[2].
Private individuals and families also own substantial amounts of land, ranging from single properties to vast estates, though exact figures are difficult to establish due to the historically opaque nature of UK land registration[2].
Homeownership is a key form of land ownership for much of the population. As of 2023/2024, around 53–65% of UK households own their homes, either outright or with a mortgage. The rest rent their homes or live in other arrangements[3][5][6]. Ownership rates vary regionally and by demographic group; for example, 70% of White British households in England owned their home, the highest by ethnic group[6].
Agricultural land in England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland is owned either outright or is tenanted. Detailed annual statistics record the proportions of owned and rented land and the types of agreements in place (e.g., tenancies, licenses), but these are mostly managed at the level of individual farms and landowners[4].
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