Apr

Here’s why nurses need free accommodation near hospitals during (and after!) Coronavirus

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Have you ever wandered why there is so much fuss made about providing free accommodation for NHS staff near hospitals? Here’s the rental data to show why landlords should help.

The answer is highlighted by research
published today that shows how nurses in London must fork out 87% of their
monthly net salary on rent and more than a month’s wages on a deposit.

Rental deposit scheme Ome set out to
highlight the problem faced by hard-working frontline staff in the capital and found
that the average rent of £1,905 around London hospitals is 124% higher than the
national average.

It
looked at the average house price for each hospital postcode, the average cost
of renting each month, the rental deposit required and how much of their salary
an average nurse needs to pay out.

When
it comes to renting, the average monthly cost around hospital sites in England
comes in at £891 – 5% higher than the average across England and accounts for
47% of the average nurse’s salary.

It suggests
that the average nurse needs to find £1,114 upfront for a rental deposit,
compared to an average of £1,065 across England as a whole. This deposit cost
alone accounts for 59% of the average nurse’s monthly wage.

Ome co-founder Matthew Hooker says: “We wanted to highlight the high cost of securing a place to live close to their place of work and the importance of providing temporary accommodation while they fight to keep the nation safe.

“This
opens a wider conversation surrounding the affordability of housing throughout
the UK and the current impact this is having on key workers during the COVID-19
pandemic.

“The heroic efforts made by the nation’s nurses to keep us safe must be matched by the nation’s efforts to keep an affordable roof over their heads and mitigate any worries they may have surrounding housing costs.”

Read one one landlord who recently offered NHS staff free accommodation.

View Full Article: Here’s why nurses need free accommodation near hospitals during (and after!) Coronavirus