BRIGHTON and Hove has been included in a list of the least affordable cities for first time buyers.

On average it takes seven years and four months for aspiring home owners to save for a ten per cent deposit using a Lifetime ISA (LISA) in Brighton and Hove.

The average number of years needed to save in the same deposit scheme across England is just under five years, according to research by digital wealth manager Nutmeg.

Some of the most affordable cities include Leicester, Manchester and Sheffield, where it takes an average of three and a half years.

In London and Guildford it takes more than nine years on average to save for a deposit using the LISA scheme, and in Cambridge, Winchester and Oxford it could take more than eight years to get on the property ladder.

People aged between 18 and 39 can open a LISA and contribute up to £4,000 each tax year, and the government will provide a 25 per cent bonus on contributions.

LISAs can be used to purchase a first home or accessed in retirement.

Lisa Caplan, Nutmeg’s head of financial advice, said: “Many people dream of owning their first home, and we know that a house is the top investment goal for Nutmeg customers, but it can seem unachievable.

"However, by putting some money away each month and making the most of a government top-up available through a Lifetime ISA – your aspirations for home ownership might be closer than you think.”