On average, single renters in Brighton were found to have £149.60 left over compared with an average of £1,526.24 for single renters in Aberdeen
Brighton has ranked as the least affordable city in the UK for single renters, according to a new study.
The research found those renting alone in the city would have the least amount of money left over after their outgoings on bills, rent and groceries, compared with other cities across the UK – including London.
On average, single renters in Brighton were found to have £149.60 left over compared with an average of £1,526.24 for single people renting in Aberdeen.
The research used the average rent prices across all kinds of property, as well as average salaries after tax and the cost of groceries, to calculate average outgoings.
Andy Winter, chief executive of Brighton Housing Trust said: Yet again we have a report that tells us what we already know – that Brighton and Hove is an incredibly expensive place to live, whether you are a renter of a local person trying to get on the home ownership ladder.
The fault lies with the government that has policies that don’t alleviate housing need but, conversely, fuel house price inflation. Brighton and Hove City Council must also shoulder some responsibility. For far too long the council has worked with large housing associations who are not delivering the low rent homes we need, he said.
The Preston Barracks site is a prime example of a so-called housing association securing a site but not delivering the homes we need, Winter said.
The solution is not difficult. There needs to be a massive programme of council house building and the council must work proactively with community-based housing providers rather than those organisations whose main focus is on their profits, Winter said. We need to aim to have housing policies that recognise that housing is where people live, not merely an investment opportunity for the rich.
The average rent in Brighton for an entire property was found to be £1,466 per month, and the average salary £22,575.84, according to the study by shutters company Thomas Sanderson.
In London, the average rent was found to be £1,557.89, with an average salary of £29,480.
