Homelessness is on the rise with more than 55,000 households in temporary accommodation in England - 10% higher than a year before. More than 1.8m households are currently on the waiting list for social housing - a 60% increase in the last 10 years.
On the day the government’s austerity cuts continued with an imposed benefits cap including housing benefit of 500 pounds on a couple and 350 pounds for single persons another report describes a Britain of high rents.
A third of Britain is effectively off-limits to lower income working families because private rents are unaffordable. With social housing usually unavailable and home ownership unaffordable for many first-time buyers, renting privately is often the only option for households on lower incomes. Renting a modest two-bedroom home for less than £700 a month is almost impossible in London and much of the South East. Modest is defined as having a rent below 75% of similar properties in the area.
The Home Truths report identifies local authorities that are "affordable" for a couple with a child requiring a two-bedroom property on a household income of £22,000 a year. Affordable is defined as a rent that is no more than 35% of net household income. On that basis, 125 of 376 local authorities in Britain (33%) are unaffordable for less-affluent working families.
"The private rented sector is now, in large parts of the country, the most expensive form of housing," says Vidhya Alakeson, of the Resolution Foundation. "It is also the only option for most low to middle income households, many of whom are faced with the unenviable choice of forgoing other essentials in order to pay for housing or living in overcrowded conditions to reduce their housing costs."
The BBC housing calculator also allows users to see where they can afford to buy a house. A deposit of £10,000 is only enough to buy a two-bedroom home in 41% of local authorities, because a deposit of at least 10% is needed to get a mortgage. With a deposit of £20,000, almost 30% of the country remains unaffordable, including all of Greater London and much of the South East. Even with a £50,000 deposit, central London and areas to the south and west of the capital remain unaffordable. Analysts suggest recent rises in UK house prices have been driven by increases in London and the South East.
"Home ownership is out of reach for the vast majority of low to middle income families because few have the savings needed for a deposit," says Ms Alakeson. "While the crisis in London is well documented, there are affordability black spots in almost all regions of the country."
On the day the government’s austerity cuts continued with an imposed benefits cap including housing benefit of 500 pounds on a couple and 350 pounds for single persons another report describes a Britain of high rents.
A third of Britain is effectively off-limits to lower income working families because private rents are unaffordable. With social housing usually unavailable and home ownership unaffordable for many first-time buyers, renting privately is often the only option for households on lower incomes. Renting a modest two-bedroom home for less than £700 a month is almost impossible in London and much of the South East. Modest is defined as having a rent below 75% of similar properties in the area.
The Home Truths report identifies local authorities that are "affordable" for a couple with a child requiring a two-bedroom property on a household income of £22,000 a year. Affordable is defined as a rent that is no more than 35% of net household income. On that basis, 125 of 376 local authorities in Britain (33%) are unaffordable for less-affluent working families.
"The private rented sector is now, in large parts of the country, the most expensive form of housing," says Vidhya Alakeson, of the Resolution Foundation. "It is also the only option for most low to middle income households, many of whom are faced with the unenviable choice of forgoing other essentials in order to pay for housing or living in overcrowded conditions to reduce their housing costs."
The BBC housing calculator also allows users to see where they can afford to buy a house. A deposit of £10,000 is only enough to buy a two-bedroom home in 41% of local authorities, because a deposit of at least 10% is needed to get a mortgage. With a deposit of £20,000, almost 30% of the country remains unaffordable, including all of Greater London and much of the South East. Even with a £50,000 deposit, central London and areas to the south and west of the capital remain unaffordable. Analysts suggest recent rises in UK house prices have been driven by increases in London and the South East.
"Home ownership is out of reach for the vast majority of low to middle income families because few have the savings needed for a deposit," says Ms Alakeson. "While the crisis in London is well documented, there are affordability black spots in almost all regions of the country."
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