# Britain’s ‘most and least affordable’ places to buy a home revealed

By Charlotte Harrison — 2026-10-02

Charlotte Harrison, chief executive officer of home financing at Skipton Building Society, insists there is more to do to help people buy houses after Britain’s ‘most and least affordable’ places to buy a home were revealed.

She said: “It’s encouraging to see the gap between house prices and earnings continuing to narrow, with wage growth helping to improve affordability on some measures.

“However, affordability remains a significant challenge for many aspiring homeowners. House price-to-income ratios are only one part of the picture. For many would-be first-time buyers, the biggest challenge remains raising a deposit while managing the cost of renting and everyday living expenses.

“Our latest Skipton Group Home Affordability Index found buying affordability has improved, but only 12.1 per cent of potential first-time buyers can currently afford the average first home in their local area.

“The research also found that more than 40 per cent of aspiring first-time buyers are spending over 45 per cent of their income on essential housing costs, making it even harder to save for a deposit and take that first step onto the ladder.

“The direction of travel is positive, but there is still more to do. Continued innovation from lenders, supportive policy and increased housing supply will all have an important role to play in helping more people achieve sustainable home ownership.”

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