House costs up as food bills drop

UK households spend more of their budget on housing and less on food, while the opposite was true 50 years ago, official statistics show.

Mortgage interest payments or rent accounted for 19% of spending in 2006, up from 9% in 1957, according to the Office of National Statistics (ONS).

Meanwhile spending on food and non-alcoholic drink fell from a third of the average weekly budget to 15%.

The comparisons mark the ONS Family Expenditure Survey's 50th anniversary.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7213177.stm