THE city of York is one of the least affordable places in the UK to buy a home, with properties typically costing nearly eight times earnings, a report has found.

According to Lloyds Bank, the city is the most unaffordable place to live in the north and 18th least affordable in the UK as a whole.

Home affordability in cities across the UK, are at their worst since 2008, with properties typically costing nearly seven times earnings, the report says.

Average house prices in UK cities has risen by nearly a third over the last five years, with the average home costing £224,926 in 2017.

Over the same period, average annual earnings have seen only a seven per cent increase, rising to £32,796.

In York, properties cost 7.6 times average local earnings and five cities have average house prices commanding at least ten times typical annual earnings - Oxford, London, Winchester, Cambridge and Chichester.

Stirling in Scotland was the most affordable, with the average house price 3.7 times local earnings.