The average rent costs are rising faster than monthly earnings in most areas of Dorset, but this is not the case in Weymouth and Portland.

The latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that the average rent for a two bedroom flat across most areas of Dorset has increased faster than the average monthly wage between 2011 and 2018.

This has led the GMB trade union to claim that there is a massive shortage of homes for rent at reasonable rents for workers in the lower pay grades.

However, Weymouth and Portland has bucked this trend as rent prices have increased by just four per cent, while the average change in monthly earnings has risen by 14.4 per cent.

Purbeck on the other hand has seen rent rise by 11.5 per cent while wages have increased by just 7.3 per cent.

It is a similar story in North Dorset, where rent costs rose by 13 per cent across this period, compared to a 10.8 per cent growth in monthly earnings.

Paul Maloney, GMB Regional Secretary, said: "Policy mistakes have made the housing position for lower paid workers worse. Council homes for rents at reasonable levels were aimed at housing the families of workers in the lower pay grades and did it successfully for generations.

"These were sold off - but crucially not replaced as a matter of Tory dogma. Housing benefits was introduced instead to help pay rents for those on lower paid and the costs to the taxpayer has ballooned to over £24 billion a year. It would have been far cheaper to build the council homes.

"The chickens are now coming home to roost on these policy mistakes. There is a massive shortage of homes for rent at reasonable rents for workers in the lower pay grades. There is now no alternative to higher pay to pay these higher rents plus a step change upwards in building homes for rent at reasonable rents.

"These high rents are here to stay. So too are younger workers living for longer in private sector rental accommodation. As a direct consequence, employers must be prepared to pay much higher wages to staff to enable them to afford these much higher rents.

"If employers don't respond with higher pay they will face staff shortages as workers, especially younger people, are priced out of housing market.

"It makes little sense for these workers to spend a full week at work only to pay most of their earnings in rents. They will vote with their feet."

Cllr Graham Carr-Jones, Portfolio Holder for Housing at Dorset Council said: “We know that there’s not enough affordable housing options in Dorset, and we’re working with a range of registered providers, such as Housing Associations, to increase the supply of stocks available.

"These include rented social accommodation, key worker housing, and affordable properties to rent and buy through the open market. This will form a key part of the new Dorset Local Plan.

“When we receive Planning Applications for larger developments, we always ensure that where possible, there is an affordable element to such schemes.

“Dorset Council has started work on Building Better Lives, a new programme which is linking up health and social care in the county. As part of this, we are looking at two new developments in the west and south of the county which will provide new care facilities, extra care housing, key worker housing and affordable housing options.

“We also encourage communities to look at creative solutions such as community land trusts, where ordinary people come together to offer land and/or building opportunities in their local area.

“We are also working with other agencies on a range of measures, such as supporting entrepreneurship, self-employment and growth of small businesses and the roll out of Superfast Broadband. We want to increase the number of high-skilled, well paid jobs across the area. This recognises the perceived limited career progression opportunities across much of rural Dorset, and the accessibility challenges that more rural communities face.”