WORKERS in parts of East Lancashire need up to an 85 per cent pay rise to afford a mortgage on an average-price house, a new report revealed.

In Blackburn with Darwen, workers need an extra 28 per cent in their pay packet to buy an average £125,000 home but in the affluent Ribble Valley that figure rises to 85 per cent.

The shock statistics come in a report North West Home Truths 2017/18 produced by the National Housing Federation which represents England's housing associations.

People in Pendle needed their salaries to grow by 13 per cent.

The three local authority areas are the subject of special 'micro-studies' in the report.

The Ribble Valley's report reveals the average home in the borough costs £242,510, eight times the local typical salary.

Average monthly rents are £683 or 27 per cent of private renters' income. Twelve per cent of Housing Benefit recipients are in work yet unable to afford their rent.

The micro-study on Blackburn with Darwen borough shows workers on an average wage needs a 28 per cent pay rise to pay for a mortgage. It reveals the average borough home costs £125,599, six times the local typical salary.

It says average monthly rents are £489, 26 per cent of private renters' income.

The study says 11 per cent of Housing Benefit recipients work yet cannot afford their rent.

The Pendle study reveals the average home in the borough costs £123,167, five times its average salary.

It says monthly rents are £458 swallowing up 22 per cent of private renters' income with 18 per cent of Housing Benefit recipients in work but unable to afford them

Ciaran Tully, of the National Housing Federation, said: "The housing market has seen a relentless rise in the gap between house prices and people's salaries.

"Ribble Valley, Pendle and Blackburn with Darwen are no exceptions. Attaining a mortgage is increasingly unrealistic and private sector rents make saving up that bit more difficult. It is more important than ever for the housing association sector to be able to deliver homes that are truly affordable.

"We need to start looking at unlocking more land so we can build homes faster."

The report shows that in Burnley the average home costs £98,272 and a typical rent was £449; in Hyndburn £11,279 and £458; and in Rossendale £152,061 and £498.