Workers earning the average wage in Buckinghamshire will need a 202 per cent pay rise to afford a mortgage in the area, new figures reveal.

A report by National Housing Federation states an average home in the county costs £454,540 - 13 times the typical salary of £34,419.

There are further pressures for those who rent in Bucks, according to the South East Home Truths report, who spend around 40 per cent of their salaries on their homes.

Statistics for Wycombe reveal the average home in the district costs £424,878, while those who rent spend around £1,172 a month – or 44 per cent of their monthly income.

South Bucks residents earning the average wage will need a staggering 271 per cent pay rise to buy a home, with the average property costing £696,944, while those living in the Chiltern District will need their wages to increase by 253 per cent, as the average property costs £603,409.

One of the reasons for the “growing housing crisis” is due to a shortfall in new housing – as 2,514 “too few” homes were built in Buckinghamshire between 2012 and 2016, according to the National Housing Federation.

External affairs manager for the National Housing Federation, Dave Smith, said:“The housing market has seen a relentless rise in the gap between house prices and people’s salaries.

"Buckinghamshire is no exception. Attaining a mortgage is increasingly unrealistic and private sector rents make saving up that bit more difficult.

“As this year’s Home Truths report shows, it is more important than ever for the sector to be able to deliver homes that are truly affordable. If we want to get serious about ending the housing crisis, we need to start looking at unlocking more land so we can build homes faster.”

Housing associations in the South East built 6,000 homes in 2016 and 2017, and started a further 8,700 - with 4,800 of the properties classed as "affordable".