‘Unaffordability crisis’ in rural areas is pushing families and workers out

The National Housing Federation’s research, timed to mark the start of rural housing week, found that wages in rural areas would need to rise by 150 per cent to afford a mortgage.

The research, dubbed as Priced out of Rural England (PORE), found that 44 per cent of the 50 most unaffordable places to live in England outside of London are in rural areas. House prices in the 22 areas were between 13 to 20 times the average salary.

Using figures from the annual survey of hours and earnings from the Office for National Statistics, PORE highlighted that rural workers have had a slower rate of wage rise than the rest of England – 21 per cent compared to 24 per cent.

David Orr, National Housing Federation chief executive, said: ‘The traditional picture of the English countryside is fast becoming extinct. We know how difficult many under 40s are finding it to afford a home in towns and cities, but it’s becoming impossible for people to put down roots in our villages and market towns.

‘The unaffordability crisis in rural areas is putting local shops pubs and schools at risk of closure and ageing populations are putting pressure on communities.’

The NHF said a shortage of the right kind of properties is pushing up prices and families are being forced out of their local areas due to buyers snapping up second homes in countryside areas. Of the 25 councils with the highest proportion of second homes, nearly two thirds are rural.

Mr Orr called for affordable housing in rural areas to be a priority.

‘These worsening problems would be solved if more affordable homes were built,’ he said. ‘We are not talking about concreting over the countryside. It’s not ruining the countryside to build 10 high quality, affordable new homes in our villages and 50 in market towns. That’s all it would take across the land to end the rural housing crisis and help to solve the country’s housing crisis within a generation.’