HOUSING in Bradford is the most affordable in England, a new report from Lloyds Bank has revealed.

The figures, collected as part of the bank’s Affordable Cities Review, have shown that home affordability across cities in the UK is at its worst level since 2007.

On average across the UK, city house prices are now seven times the average annual salary, rising from 5.6 times in 2012 to the highest rate since before the 2008 financial crisis.

In Bradford the average house price is now 4.5 times the average salary, well below the national average and the lowest rate in England.

However, it is not the lowest rate in the UK, with Stirling in Scotland the most affordable city in the country for the fifth straight year, with prices four times the average salary, and Derry in Northern Ireland, where the rate is 4.1.

Bradford came ahead of other English cities Lancaster, Durham and Sunderland, as well as Northern Ireland’s capital city Belfast, and Swansea, the most affordable city in Wales.

At the other end of the scale were university cities Oxford and Cambridge, with rates of 11.5 and 10.5 respectively, and York was the north’s only representative in the 20 least affordable cities list, with house prices eight times higher than the average salary in the city.

Lloyds found the average house price in the UK rose to its highest ever level of £232,945 in 2017, up from £171,745 in 2012, a 36% rise, whereas the average wage has risen by just 9% over the same period.

In Bradford, the average house price in 2017 was £131,505, a 0.4% drop from the 2016 average.

Andy Mason, Lloyds Bank mortgage products director, said: “City living suits the lifestyles of many people looking for shorter commutes with much of what they need on their doorstep, but buying a city property is the least affordable it’s been for a decade.

“There is also a clear North-South divide with only one southern location appearing in the top 20 most affordable cities and only one northern location appearing in the top 20 least affordable.”

Judith Cummins, MP for Bradford South, said: “House prices here have historically been lower here than some in parts of the country, where home ownership is often out of reach for many people.

“Bradford is a young, dynamic city that’s a great place to live and work in its own right.

“We’ve got globally successful businesses, a great mix of heritage and culture, and fantastic countryside on the doorstep to boot.”

Philip Davies, MP for Shipley, said he hopes the low house prices will encourage more “talented young people” to move to Bradford.

He said: “It is excellent news for people trying to get onto the housing ladder and for first-time buyers.

“I want all people to have the opportunity to own their own homes, and the more affordable homes the better as far as I’m concerned.

“Hopefully it will encourage more talent young people to base themselves in Bradford.”