House prices for first-time buyers in Lancaster have risen by more than a third since 2019

It comes as property website Rightmove said the typical mortgage payment for first-time buyers has increased by £400 a month and called on the next government to support those buying their first home.

The latest figures from the Land Registry's house price index show first-time buyers in Lancaster were paying an average of £184,300 for a house in April.

It was up 36% from an average of £135,300 five years earlier.

Overall house prices in Lancaster have also jumped 36% over five years, reaching £208,400 in April 2024.

Tim Bannister, Rightmove’s property expert, said reduced mortgage rates would help first-time buyers in the short term, "more so than election housing promises".

It comes as the property website said the average mortgage payment for a typical first-time buyer in Great Britain has risen by 61% over the past five years – from £667 a month in 2019 to £1,075 this year.

Mr Bannister added: "As rates have increased over the last five years, the amount that a typical first-time buyer is paying each month on a mortgage has outstripped the pace of earning growth.

"Some first-time buyers are looking at extending their mortgage terms to 30 or 35 years to lower monthly payments, or looking at cheaper homes for sale so that they need to borrow less."

In Lancaster, there were 47 sales in February this year – down from 192 five years earlier.