Chichester residents now spend a third of their wages on rent

GMB has named the Chichester district among 30 authorities in the South East where average rent for two-bedroom properties has risen to more than a third of gross average earnings.

Chichester came 16th, with residents spending £850 of their average £2,321 a month wage on rental fees, equating to 36.6 per cent.

Arun was 18th, with residents spending £750 of their 2,082 monthly wages on rent, 36 per cent.

Brighton topped the list with 47 per cent and GMB say a massive programme of home-building is now ‘absolutely essential’.

Paul Maloney said: “These figures demonstrate the extent of the squeeze felt by workers and their families in the South East since the financial crisis in 2008.

“Rents have surged upwards as pay has been stagnant or falling.”

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