During your playing career, it may be beneficial to invest a portion of your earnings. Your investment portfolio may generate higher returns than a simple savings account, meaning you have more wealth to draw from in the future.
These funds could help you remain financially stable as you transition to a second career and cover your living expenses when you eventually retire altogether.
Certain investments may also provide a regular income to supplement your earnings from playing, bridge the gap when you step off the pitch, or fund your retirement lifestyle.
Buy-to-let properties are a common investment choice for rugby players who want to generate capital growth and income. However, they might not be as beneficial as they once were.
Read on to learn whether property investments are still a suitable choice for rugby players.
House prices have risen significantly but inflation-adjusted growth is not as high as you may think
You have likely seen news stories about rising house prices in the past decade or more, and we often hear about how it is becoming more difficult for first-time buyers to get on the property ladder.
This would suggest that house values are increasing significantly, making property an excellent investment that provides notable returns. When you consider the nominal value of properties in the UK, this appears to be true.
For example, Property Reporter found that the average UK house price rose from £176,561 in December 2014 to £268,087 in December 2024.
That is a difference of 51.8% in a decade. However, this figure does not account for inflation, which is a measure of how quickly the cost of goods and services are rising.
You may know that inflation has been exceptionally high in the past five years. Effectively, this means that your money does not go as far as it used to because your expenses are higher.
As such, if you invest a portion of your wealth and it grows by 50%, your spending power does not necessarily increase by the same amount because prices have risen in that time too.
That is why, to calculate real-terms growth, you must subtract the rate of inflation from your investment growth.
The findings from Property Reporter show that after adjusting for inflation, house price growth between December 2014 and 2024 was only 12.1%.
So, investing in property in the past decade would have generated positive returns, but the growth may not have been as high as you expect.
Stock market investments may offer higher growth than property
If you are deciding how to invest, you may consider putting your wealth into the stock market instead of property. Historical data shows that this could offer higher returns.
As described above, the total inflation-adjusted growth of property in the decade to December 2024 was 12.1%.
Meanwhile, ii examined stock market data from a period of 123 years and reported on the average returns in that time. The findings showed that the average inflation-adjusted return from UK stocks was 5.3% each year. US equities returned 6.4% in real terms each year.
Based on these figures, you would only need to invest in the UK market for three years, or US stocks for two years, to exceed the level of growth that would have taken a decade if you invested in property.
Past performance does not guarantee future returns, and your investments can fluctuate in value. Despite this, the historical data suggests that the long-term returns from stock market investments may be higher than property.
A buy-to-let property could provide valuable income
One key benefit of investing in property is that you may be able to rent out the house and generate regular income.
As average rents increase, the income you could earn is rising. According to UK Finance, the average rental yield for buy-to-let properties in the second quarter of 2025 was 7.26%, compared with 6.9% in the same period the previous year.
While you are playing, you could save or invest this additional income, helping you build wealth outside of the capital growth you see from the property itself.
This flexible income is especially useful for professional rugby players because you are likely to see a drop in your earnings when you retire from playing. You could rely on rental income to pay some or all your living expenses while you establish a second career.
Later in life, when you end your second career, earnings from rent might form part of your retirement income.
Consequently, although the capital growth from property investments may not be as high as stock market investments, the regular rental income could be valuable to you as a rugby player.
New regulations have created more challenges for property investors
As a property investor, it is important to pay attention to legislative changes that might affect you.
The Renters’ Rights Bill recently passed the final stages in the House of Commons and will become law soon. This legislation introduces several changes affecting landlords, including:
- A ban on no-fault evictions
- Ending the practice of rental bidding
- Introducing new maintenance guidelines under the Decent Homes Standard.
These changes come in addition to legislation introduced in recent years. This includes increases in Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) for landlords and more stringent energy efficiency requirements for rental properties.
There are also rumours of potential changes to property taxes and plans to charge National Insurance contributions (NICs) on rental income.
Existing legislation means that renting out a property is already more expensive and time-consuming than it previously was. Landlords could come under more pressure if the government introduces further regulations or tax changes.
When deciding if property is a suitable investment for you, it is important to consider the current regulatory environment you operate within.
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Please note
This article is for general information only and does not constitute financial or legal advice. The information is aimed at retail clients only.
All information is correct at the time of writing and is subject to change in the future.
Please do not act based on anything you might read in this article. All contents are based on our understanding of HMRC legislation, which is subject to change.
The Financial Conduct Authority does not regulate tax planning.
The value of your investments (and any income from them) can go down as well as up and you may not get back the full amount you invested. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.
Investments should be considered over the longer term and should fit in with your overall attitude to risk and financial circumstances.
Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on a mortgage or other loans secured on it.
The Financial Conduct Authority does not regulate buy-to-let (pure) and commercial mortgages.