A Note on the Economic Significance of Dwellings on Farms

Using information from the Farm Business Survey for England and Wales, the paper explores the economic contribution of farm dwellings to the farm business in 1983 and 1993. Despite the stagnant property market and increasing farm incomes in the early 1990s, rent revenues rose as a proportion of net farm incomes. Including a low imputed rental value for farmhouses in farm income calculations may mean that incomes are being understated. Returns from letting property and a low imputed rent for the farmhouse help to stabilise farm incomes.