An affordable rural housing guide has been launched for young people after research found there was a lack of information on the subject.
The National Federation of Young Farmers’ Clubs (NFYFC) has unveiled the guide following a survey which gathered over 500 responses from rural young people.
The survey looked at views on living and working in rural areas post-Brexit and amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
While 97% of young people wanted to continue living and working in the countryside, more than two thirds felt there was not enough affordable housing available for them.
Only 15% of respondents owned a property, and 65% said they wanted to move out of their family home in the next 5-years but would be unable to do so because they cannot afford to buy or rent.
One young farmer commented: “[I want] less new builds. All new builds being put up in my area are at least 4 bedrooms.
"Older properties are either already large, or have been extended to a point where they are not affordable by young people.”
The new guide, which is available in an online format, covers topics such as why affordable homes are important in the countryside and how to qualify and apply for housing.
The organisation teamed-up with English Rural, a specialist provider of affordable rural homes, to produce the FAQ guide.
Nigel Owens, president of NFYFC said: "The guide seeks to offer some answers to questions about affordable rural housing, whilst signposting members to more detailed sources of advice."
Princess Anne, patron of English Rural, added that the absence of sufficient affordable rural homes in the UK had worsened in recent years.
"Small scale affordable rural housing developments help to rebalance communities, keeping families together whilst providing a boost for local services.
"Parish and town councils are a driving force for change and a key partner in delivering affordable homes for local people."
