The Great North-South Divide

[youngmafbog]

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/oxford-the-least-affordable-city-in-the-uk-where-houses-cost-11-times-local-salaries-9180930.html

We often here about how grim it is in the north (and yes it is) but at least they can afford to live.

Down here in the South we are crushed by massive house prices (and if you dont buy the rents are to match) and for many of us long commutes.

So, who does have it worse?

[alexanderd]

Who says it is grim in the north? We have a beautiful beach 10 minutes away, half an hour from the countryside and the largest shopping centre in Britain.Plus the sun is shining at the moment and we had no flooding on the scale of the south. I will stay up here thanks.

[whiskeryron]

I have pondered for a very long time why there should be ANY difference in house prices at all wherever you live, after-all a brick is a brick & presumably costs the same to manufacture wherever you are in the country. I am sick to death with the notion that there are such differences in areas throughout the UK.

[sandyRoe]

I notice Lisburn is number 8 among the most affordable. I'd need to be paid to live there.

[alexanderd]

Whiskeyron something to do with wage difference I would imagine

[AB Editor]

"So, who does have it worse?"

Depends how poor you are, like a great many things!

[youngmafbog]

Yes, of course. But you dont get more dole if yo ulive in the South. So presumably Southerners have more to moan at.

And, outside of London salaries are not high at all, especially the more West you go so disposable income is a lot less for Southerners.

[whiskeryron]

But don't you see sandyRoe that perpetuates the very thing I am complaining about ? Do you not think that if for instance a law was past making it illegal to charge more for a property than it is worth in another area we could at least make a start to get equality throughout the UK ? & make it possible that there are NO undesirable areas.

[DrFilth]

i would like to explain in detail why it is better up north but i have to get round and get in the queue at the sisters of mercy food hall
monday we have a piece of tripe, one potato and some mushy peas, yummy

[AB Editor]

"But you dont get more dole if yo ulive in the South."

I think I was focusing on the "working poor".

If you're in receipt of non-universal benefits then you'd be quite poor anywhere - but there may be more opportunities in the south to get out of that situation.

[whiskeryron]

// Whiskeyron something to do with wage difference I would imagine //

There again you see, there should be a panel of people who can decide what is the true worth of all jobs & professions. Why should work pay more because it is in a certain area ? Why should a bloke who kicks a ball about be worth 3k a week when we don't pay our nurses who look after our health a decent salary ? I think it is high time these things were seriously considered.

[alexanderd]

Ron I agree with you but I dont think you can single out footballers alone. Most top sportsman and the top actors are paid phenomenal amounts which bear no resemblance to reality

[sandyRoe]

I've seen in the TV programme, Homes under the hammer, 3 bedroom houses in Liverpool selling for about 40K. I'd guess they're located in what must be considered bad areas.
If a similar house in Chelsea, for example, came on the market at the same price people might be trampled in the rush to buy. It's all down to supply and demand.

[jno]

it isn't the bricks, is it, it's the land.

An interesting piece here suggesting the problem isn't that London is the biggest city but that there isn't a second biggest city, and a surprisingly plausible claim that it should be Hebden Bridge:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-26472423

[emmie]

you can be reasonably well off and still struggle here. And if struggling on low to mid income then it's time to find another home, because the councils are selling off anything they see fit - and that is not the right to buy either.

[emmie]

Manchester is a fair size place, and has been a hub for business for years, don't know how prices compare, but it can't be all bad in the North

[BlueToffee]

whiskeyron, your argument is very sound, so is Marxism, but it doesn't work!