Five of the 10 most affordable British towns for key public sector workers are in Scotland, research has shown.
Five of the 10 most affordable British towns for key public sector workers are in Scotland, research has shown.
The study by Halifax Bank of Scotland found Scotland is the most affordable part of the UK for public sector workers such as teachers, police, firefighters, nurses and ambulance staff seeking to buy a house.
However, the research also confirmed that the average house price in 90% of Scottish towns is still unaffordable for nurses and firefighters.
Five years ago the average house price was unaffordable for them in only 4% of towns.
The survey prompted a call by housing charity, Shelter Scotland, for more affordable homes to be built.
The research confirmed that Lochgelly in Fife is the most affordable town for key workers in Scotland, followed by Bellshill, Clydebank, Wishaw and Greenock. Edinburgh is the least affordable.
The average house price was unaffordable for all five key worker occupations in 15% of towns across Scotland in March 2007, up from 10% of towns last year, the bank said.
Across Britain, the average house price was unaffordable for all five occupations in 70% of towns in March 2007, up from 36% in March 2002.
The average house price in Edinburgh is £205,189, £155,123 in Glasgow and £104,738 in Lochgelly, according to the bank.
The next least affordable areas behind Edinburgh were Helensburgh, Inverurie, Musselburgh, Aberdeen and Dalkeith.
All key workers could afford the average flat in at least 88% of towns surveyed in Scotland, and Edinburgh is the only town or city in Scotland where the average flat is unaffordable for all key worker groups.
However, nurses are unable to afford a flat in 13% of Scottish towns surveyed.
In London, the house- price-to-earnings ratio for a nurse stands at 10.1, meaning the average property is valued at more than 10 times the annual gross average earnings.
A location is deemed to be unaffordable if the ratio is above that of the the average UK first-time buyer's salary against the cost of their property, which is set at 4.46.
Archie Stoddart, director of Shelter Scotland, said last night: "Scotland might still be the most affordable part of the UK for key workers, but behind that statement lies the fact that nurses and firefighters cannot afford to buy homes in 9 out of 10 towns and cities in Scotland. How long can this go on?"
The bank said that the average salary for teachers was £31,413, for nurses £25,743, for police officers £35,436, for firefighters £26,652 and for ambulance staff £31,121.
