7 out of 10 renters worry about being able to afford to buy their own home

The data shows that over a quarter of a million people living in social and housing association properties that are officially overcrowded and cramped. Among households with people aged 35-44, one in 8 properties were overcrowded. The proportion of private renters who said affordability was the main barrier increased from 56% in 2008-09 to 70% in 2015-16 3 in a 100 people now languish on a waiting list for a council house for 10 years or more 11,000 families are on the housing waiting list in Hackney. Hackney homes are most expensive in UK relative to wages with the average house price at £575,511. Single tenants in Hackney spend 81% of their monthly income on rent. 258,000 people now live in overcrowded accommodationThere were approximately 1.5 million households containing at least one adult who would like to buy or rent their own accommodation, but could not afford to do so.  The main reason households did not apply for a mortgage was because they did not think their deposit was large enough.

The data also shows 3 in 100 people desperate for a council or housing association property have to wait for over 10 years to get a property.Taking into account a previous study released that showed single tenants in Hackney spend the vast majority of their monthly salary on rent (81%) coupled with news that Hackney is the most expensive place to buy a home in the UK relative to annual income, buying a home for many Hackney residents is just a pipe dream.

Commenting on the data, Hackney Liberal Democrat Spokesperson Darren Martin said:

“We are now seeing the death of the truly affordable family home in vast swathes of Britain. The Government is allowing the housing market to spiral out of control and it is kicking the ladder of aspiration away from millions of people.

"In Hackney, the dream of owning your own home is even further away than most places in the UK. Single tenants are forking out an average of £1480 a month for a one bed flat and have no chance of saving.

"Hackney homes are also the most expensive to buy in the UK relative to wages so many residents would have to move out of the borough for a chance to buy, but looking at these new figures today showing the national picture, those chances are becoming more an more remote.

"It is time to build the homes that Britain needs and to stop the recycled press releases and reheated funding announcements. We need to get Britain building.

"The government should start building garden cities and villages, bringing empty homes back into use, and create a Government-backed housing investment bank to build the 300,000 homes a year we need.

"Hackney Council also needs to focus its efforts as we have seen buildings going up recently with as little as 8% affordable tenure meaning many more residents will be stuck in Generation Rent."