The average price of a home in Gloucestershire is nearly £280,000 - 10 times average earnings.

With wages below national average, high levels of unemployment, a shortage of affordable properties, and increasing food and energy prices, many people struggle to buy their own home.

Those who choose to rent instead are faced with paying nearly £800 a month to rent privately (£600 in the Forest) - more than a third (or nearly a quarter in the Forest) of their average income - or joining the long waiting list for a lower-cost housing association or local authority home to become available.

The National Housing Federation has just published its annual 'Home Truths' report for 2017/18, which looks at housing demand, supply and affordability across the country. Its spotlight on the South West reveals the following about Gloucestershire:

In Gloucestershire:

• The average wage is £27,659.
• The average house price in the county is £278,492 - although a home in the Cotswolds could set you back £397,000, almost 50% higher than the regional average.
• Anyone looking to buy their home will need a gross annual income of £63,655 to be able to secure an 80% mortgage.
• The county has 3,700 second homes, and nearly 2,500 properties are identified as 'long term empty' and not being used at all.
• There are just 30,000 'affordable' homes available to rent through a housing association or local authority, yet there are long waiting lists and almost 14,000 people are queuing up to rent them when they become empty.
• Almost a quarter (23%) of people claiming housing benefit are in work, but rely on state funding to help them make ends meet.

Two Rivers Housing, and its neighbouring housing associations, are working hard to address the present local shortage of affordable homes, and planning their building programmes to meet predictions of future demand. Two Rivers has committed to build at least 100 new homes each year. It has recently opened a new scheme of affordable homes in Churcham in the Forest of Dean (pictured).

Schemes currently in development, or starting on site within the next six months, include homes in Gloucester (29), Newent (79), Tutshill (54), Tetbury (19), Staunton (11) and Tewkesbury (162), across a range of tenures including affordable rent and shared ownership.

Garry King, chief executive of Two Rivers Housing, said: "This annual Home Truths report shows a worsening picture every year. There is a yawning gap between people's earnings and borrowing capacity and the cost of getting a mortgage or renting a home privately.

"There's also a chronic shortage of homes of all types in this area and the pressure is on to build enough new properties to give people the chance of finding somewhere to live which suits their budget, work opportunities, family and social connections, or simply their personal choice."

What do you think? Email mark@moosemarketingandpr.co.uk