By GB News (World News) | Created at 2024-12-29 14:15:57 | Updated at 2025-01-01 10:34:50
2 days ago
The stark contrast in UK housing affordability has been laid bare, with homes in Burnley, North West England, costing an average of £112,640, whilst properties in London's Kensington and Chelsea command a staggering £1,166,251.
This dramatic North-South divide in the property market highlights regional disparities in housing costs across the nation.
The gap between Britain's most affordable and most expensive areas represents more than a million-pound difference, demonstrating the extreme variations in housing accessibility across different parts of the country.
North West England emerges as a haven for affordable housing, with six of the nation's most accessible property markets clustered in this region.
Properties in London were the most expensive
GETTY
The concentration of budget-friendly homes in the North West stands in stark contrast to the capital, where all of the least affordable areas are found within London's boundaries.
This regional clustering demonstrates a clear geographical divide in property accessibility, with the first Southern region only appearing at position 101 in the affordability rankings.
The North West's dominance in affordable housing is particularly evident in Lancashire, where multiple areas offer average house prices below £140,000.
Here are the five most affordable areas for house buyers in the UK:
- Burnley, North West England: £112,640
- Hyndburn, North West England: £126,861
- Hartlepool, North West England: £128,293
- County Durham, North West England: £130,130
- East Ayrshire, South West Scotland: £130,666
- Pendle, North West England: £133,022
- Inverclyde, West Central Scotland: £134,005
- Blaenau Gwent, South East Wales: £125,304
- Blackpool, North West England: £136,867
- North Ayrshire, South West Scotland: £137,207
These figures demonstrate the significant value available in northern regions, with four of the top five most affordable areas located in North West England.
A typical deposit in these areas ranges from £11,264 in Burnley to £13,067 in East Ayrshire.
House prices vary greatly across the UK
PA
Here are the five least affordable areas for house buyers in the UK:
- Kensington and Chelsea, West Central London: £1,166,251
- City of Westminster, Central London: £984,294
- Camden, Central/North London: £812,607
- Hammersmith and Fulham, West London: £774,598
- City of London: £759,667
- Richmond upon Thames, South West London: £740,505
- Elmbridge, Greater London: £690,555
- Islington, North Central London: £676,611
- Wandsworth, South West London: £627,815
- Barnet, Greater London: £596,638
These figures showcase London's dominance at the top end of the market, with all five areas requiring deposits of more than £75,000. The capital's property prices significantly outpace other regions, with even the most "affordable" of these areas demanding more than six times the average house price in Burnley.
In Burnley, someone saving 20 per cent of their net income on an average UK salary could secure a deposit in just 2.3 years. The picture in Kensington and Chelsea tells a dramatically different story, where even on a London wage, it would take 17.7 years to save for a typical deposit of £116,625.
The situation becomes even more challenging for those on the UK average wage, who would need to save for 23.3 years to afford a deposit in Kensington and Chelsea.
