Minimum wage went up to £6.50 this week, a rise of 19 pence per hour and this now means those on the lowest legal wage are set to see their pay rise by as much as £355 a year.
Property price rise has been well documented over recent years as well as the affordability and availability of mortgages. Many would think that being on minimum wage would mean that they have no change to get on the property ladder, however this is not the case. There are pockets of the country where owning property is possible on minimum wage, typically in County Durham, Northumberland and Sefton.
Those on minimum wage will take home £11,574 a year for a regular 37.5 hours a week job. The Council of Mortgage Lenders have the latest national average income multiple at 3.22. A 90% mortgage therefore available for those on minimal wage is £33,500.
Looking at other areas of the country you can buy a 2 bedroom house in Roxburgh Street, Liverpool, Merseyside for £32,000 Joseph Terrace, Chopwell Newcastle upon Tyne for £33,000.
Looking a little bit further south, a 2 bed maisonette in Tudor Road, Nuneaton, Birmingham or a 2 bedroom end of terrace house Arthur Street, Mountain Ash just north of Cardiff are both available for £37,000.
Property Expert Russell Quirk, CEO of online estate agent eMoov.co.uk commented:
“The rise in minimum wage and talk of further benefits in 2015 must have be welcomed news to many this week. Next year’s general election fight has already started with the parties targeting votes from low income famialies. Last week Ed Miliband promised to increase the minimum wage to £8 an hour by 2019 with Chancellor George Osborne said he wanted the legal minimum to increase to £7. David Cameron has also promised to scrap income tax on minimum wage. These rises now means that atleast another million people in the UK can be King or Queen of their own castle.“
