Nurses and teachers are being priced out of rural areas amid rocketing rent, charity warns

Nurses, teachers and emergency workers are among those who can no longer afford to live in many parts of rural England, a charity has warned.

Someone earning the local median income in 15 rural local authorities would currently see more than half their take-home pay go towards rent for the average two-bedroom property.

The countryside charity CPRE, who did the analysis, said Sevenoaks is the worst local authority when it comes to unaffordable rents, followed by Bath and North East Somerset, Tandridge, Chichester and Lewes.  

Brad Taylor, CPRE housing campaigner, said: “It’s alarming that people on middle incomes – teachers, nurses and emergency services workers – can no longer afford to live in many parts of rural England. 

“What will people in these communities do without the essential workers they rely on every day? 

“The government has got to get a grip on the rural housing affordability crisis and urgently introduce the changes to legislation we know will make a real difference.” 

The charity said record high rents and house prices, stagnating wages, huge waiting lists for social housing, a rise in second homes and short-term lets are draining the countryside of skills, economic activity and vital public services.  

CPRE is calling on the government to fix the rural housing affordability crisis that is driving people across the region and the country as a whole from the communities they know and love.

The charity said their analysis uses the best available Office for National Statistics data, which accounts only for the incomes of people in employment. 

It added: “It does not include those of self-employed people or people out of work, both of whom are poorer on average. So while the analysis makes alarming reading, the true picture of affordability is likely to be even worse.

“A secure and healthy home is a foundation for a decent life and one that many people in rural communities are being denied.”