London has just 43 affordable homes, and some of those are houseboats

80% of the UK’s houses are out of reach for average earners

Imbalance in the housing market is one of the UK’s most immediate problems. Demand far outstrips supply, and property prices have reached astonishing heights.

The scale of the problem facing Britons who wish to buy a house is highlighted in new research by housing charity Shelter.

According to the organisation, which researched the housing market using property website Zoopla, there are currently just 43 affordable homes in London. Of these, four are houseboats, and one is a mobile home.

Shelter classes affordable housing as properties which can be bought by families bringing in the UK’s average household earnings of £30,748.

By this measure over 80% of the UK’s housing market is out of reach for families bringing in the average wage. For families looking for three bedroom houses, the situation is worse, with just 7% of homes falling into the affordable bracket.

Shelter chief executive Campbell Robb said: “For the next government, whoever that may be, it’s time for the talk to stop and the work to begin.

“Politicians need to act swiftly to deliver the plan that will build the 250,000 homes a year we need.

“Over 80% of homes on the market are off limits for a typical family, and this is nothing short of a scandal.”