A WORKER on average earnings in Brighton and Hove now needs a 219 per cent pay rise to afford a mortgage, claims a new report from the National Housing Federation.

The South East Home Truths 2017/18 report reveals the average home now costs around £394,512 in the Brighton and Hove local authority, which is 14 times the local typical salary, making home ownership impossible for many.

The report also reveals:

l The cost of renting privately has added pressure on people’s income. Average monthly rents now stand at £1,292 swallowing up around 55 per cent of private renters’ income.

l A significant number (27 per cent) of Housing Benefit recipients are in work, yet are still unable to afford their rent. This is higher than the England average. This shows rents across the region are increasingly unaffordable.

l One of the reasons for the growing crisis is down to a large shortfall of new housing. Between 2012 and 2016, some 5,697 too few homes were built in Brighton and Hove.

Housing associations in the South East built more than 6,000 homes in 2016/17 and started a further 8,700. At least 4,800 of these starts and completions are homes for affordable home ownership, including shared ownership.

Dave Smith, external affairs manager for the National Housing Federation, said: “The housing market has seen a relentless rise in the gap between house prices and people’s salaries.

“Brighton and Hove is no exception. Attaining a mortgage is increasingly unrealistic and private sector rents make saving up that bit more difficult.

“As this year’s Home Truths report shows, it is more important than ever for the sector to be able to deliver homes that are truly affordable.

“If we want to get serious about ending the housing crisis, we need to start looking at unlocking more land so we can build homes faster.’

Tom Shaw, operations director at the Hyde Group, said: “The delivery of more homes of all types in Brighton and Hove is important to meet demand. Hyde has set up a partnership with Brighton and Hove City Council to significantly increase the supply of new affordable homes in the area.

“We are investing over £60 million to build 1,000 new low cost homes for sale and rent specifically for local people earning the typical local wage.”

Councillor Anne Meadows, chairwoman of the council’s housing and new homes committee, said: “Building affordable rented new homes for local people is a key priority for Brighton and Hove City Council.

“There is a huge demand for housing in the city and with the supply of low cost rented homes not keeping pace with demand, we’re having to look at innovative solutions to build much-needed new homes.

“The joint venture is the biggest commitment to affordable housing here for a generation. Alongside our New Homes for Neighbourhoods programme building new council housing, it will deliver decent and genuinely affordable homes.”