Want to get onto the property ladder? Not in this life, pal.

"England’s housing market is a masterclass in inequality. Prices soar while incomes stagnate, trapping millions in a hamster wheel of hopelessness. This crisis is tearing the heart out of communities; key workers are priced out, families crushed by debt and the dream of homeownership reduced to a distant dream. London is a housing dystopia where even the wealthiest deciles can barely keep up. Tinkering around the edges with failed policies won’t fix this; we must build homes people can afford, or we’ll condemn entire generations to a sense of permanent property penury."

"It's frankly mind-boggling that the average person living in England needs nearly nine years of their entire income to buy a modest home. And let's not forget our friends in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. They're doing slightly better, only needing five to six years of their income. What a bargain. People are being priced out of the market and then some. For low-income households, homeownership is a pipe dream. Why bother saving when you'll never be able to afford a decent place to live? As for London, let's just say if you're not in the top 10% of earners, you might as well give up now. Even Elon Musk would think twice about buying in the capital as launching rockets into space is cheaper. The average person is never going to own a home there. They might as well rent a cupboard under the stairs. The housing market is a shining example of how well our economy is functioning, or not."

"This report outlines what has been painfully obvious for years: that it is becoming increasingly difficult for households, especially the younger generation, to get onto the housing ladder. Wages and disposable income simply cannot keep up with soaring house prices. For many aspiring homeowners, this data reveals the financial Everest they need to climb."

"It appears we may have seen the last of the single first-time buyer. Affordability for this demographic is a near extinction event. Joint incomes are almost a necessity across the UK to buy any reasonable first home. With property inflation running at twice the rate of income inflation, this situation is not going away quickly, and no amount of affordable housing projects will remedy this in the short term."

"This makes for shocking reading for those looking to get on the housing ladder. You now require between five and nine-times average income to buy an average home. Even in Northern Ireland where the figures look attractive on the face of it, average property prices are much lower at around £160k so the income ratio will always make it more easily achieved, if you can even find a property. With mortgage interest rates remaining high and the cost of living still keeping disposable incomes low, the dreams of homeownership are dwindling for most people in this lifetime."

"Unaffordable and out of reach is the description many would use for the current state of the UK housing market. The rise in house values across the country has outpriced many leaving them disillusioned and resigned to renting. What is surprising, however, is the resilience of the housing market with purchases from first-time buyers still in full swing, especially as they strive to take advantage of the lower stamp duty whilst it lasts. The Bank of Mum and Dad and Grandparents will be assisting many, and there are those who have reaped the benefits of increased values on their homes making up a percentage of the house purchases. As a broker, we hope this continues but the hardships for many trying to access the housing ladder are palpable and look like they won't change anytime soon."

"Even in the hardest of capitalist hearts beats a little socialism. When people read figures like these it’s no surprise that most people’s reaction is about how outrageous it is, and how the future generations have zero chance of having a home to call their own. Yet many of these naysayers are the very ones who have a rental on the side, as a pension or other support. It’s this which helps drive a crazy property market: rental yields."

"The ONS figures lay bare the harsh reality that, for millions, the dream of owning a home is like a train leaving the station, rapidly disappearing into the distance. With house prices rising twice as fast as incomes in England, homeownership has become a distant and unrealistic goal for many, especially those on lower incomes. Even in regions where affordability is better, like Northern Ireland, only the highest-income households can compete. This is not a sudden crisis but the result of decades of failure by successive governments to address the root causes. The solution lies in tackling the jigsaw puzzle of challenges: increasing housing supply, fostering innovation, unlocking capital and addressing affordability. At the heart of this is a planning system bogged down by bureaucracy, local opposition and polarised priorities. Without bold reforms to planning and coordinated action, the train of homeownership will remain out of reach for all but the wealthiest."