RENTAL costs in Cheshire East and West are higher than across the north west as a whole, figures reveal.

In Cheshire East, the median average rental cost of a two-bedroom home was £600 a month in 2019-20, according to the latest data from the Valuation Office Agency.

Meanwhile in Cheshire West, the median average rental cost of a two-bedroom home was £595 a month in 2019-20.

That was a nine per cent increase compared to 2010-11 in Cheshire East and an eight per cent increase in Cheshire West – while both boroughs were above the north west average of £550.

However, separate figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reveal rising wages are outpacing the increase in rental costs.

The median salary of a full-time worker in Cheshire East rose by 23 per cent between 2011 and 2020, while the same figure rose by 21 per cent in Cheshire West over the same period.

The median is a measure used to exclude extreme values which could skew the average.

However, Cheshire's figures contrasted with the picture across England, where the average cost of two-bed rose by 27 per cent, compared to a 20 per cent rise in wages.

Nationally, housing charity Shelter is concerned that private rents have risen to 'grossly unaffordable' levels across the country, with the coronavirus pandemic only fuelling the issue.

ONS figures show that in Cheshire East, the average full-time worker earned a median salary of £2,717 a month before tax in 2020.

It means if they lived alone, they would have to fork out 18 per cent of their wages on renting a one-bed home in the area, while two full-time workers would pay 11 per cent of their gross monthly income to rent a two-bedroom property.

In Cheshire West, the average full-time worker earned a median salary of £2,614 a month before tax in 2020.

It means if they lived alone, they would have to fork out 19 per cent of their wages on renting a one-bed home in the area, while two full-time workers would pay 11 per cent of their gross monthly income to rent a two-bedroom property.

Pressure group Generation Rent says rising rental prices mean the prospect of home ownership is getting further out of reach for many people.

Dan Wilson Craw, the group's deputy director, said: "Renters have had to work longer hours, commute further and share with other adults for longer just to keep a roof over our heads.

"If the Government wants everyone to thrive it must do all it can to drive down rents, including investment in council homes."

Last month, the Government announced it would extend its ban on enforced evictions to protect vulnerable renters who are struggling amid the pandemic.

It means bailiffs cannot carry out repossessions until March 8, unless in extreme circumstances, but Ministers are now coming under pressure to extend the ban further.

Following a question from Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer in the House of Commons on Wednesday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: "I have said repeatedly that what we will do in this Government and throughout this pandemic is put our arms around the British people and support them throughout the pandemic and make sure that people are not unfairly evicted during the pandemic. That is what we will do."