Private rents unaffordable for families in most English boroughs | Money | guardian.co.uk

Private rents unaffordable for families in most English boroughs | Money | guardian.co.uk

Families have been priced out of rental property in the majority of local authorities in England, according to the homeless charity Shelter.

The Shelter Rent Watch found that average private rents were unaffordable for ordinary working families in 55% of local authorities in England. Typical rents charged by private landlords were more than a third of median take-home pay, the widely accepted measure of affordability.

Shelter said research showed that 38% of families with children who were renting privately had cut down on food to pay their rent.