Switch On to Swindon businesses praise town’s ‘best value’ status

Switch On to Swindon Ambassadors have welcomed the news that Swindon is the most affordable town in the UK for working renters.

Jobs site Adzuna recently compared average salaries with average rental costs across the UK and found that workers in Swindon typically spend just 11.5% of their take-home pay on rent, compared with a national average of 22.1%.

And the positive news has been welcomed by those who are passionate about putting Swindon on the map.

Richard James, Swindon’s largest estate agent and Switch On to Swindon Board Member, said: “There are no surprises here for me. People are moving to Swindon based on its merits and ignoring outdated perceptions.

"Lower rents and decent jobs create more disposable income. With more money in your pocket, you can enjoy a better quality of life, and that gives Swindon a significant advantage over London and other major towns and cities.

“We know that a better work/life balance is an increasingly important priority for many people and being smart with your housing costs leaves more money in your pocket – it’s as simple as that."

Switch On To Swindon is the one of the UK’s most successful business ambassador networks, with over 600 Ambassadors promoting Swindon as an ideal location to invest, live and work.

Swindon is also one of the fastest housing growth areas in the country, and Richard suggested this was a strong contributing factor to the town’s economic success.

He said: “Strong supply and demand in Swindon is helping to insulate our housing market from the slowdown other areas of the country are experiencing. The journey time by train into London is soon to become less than an hour with greater frequency, so it’s inevitable that the gap in prices between places like Swindon and Reading will narrow.

"Homebuyers and investors are well aware of the capital growth this will create and are taking the advantage of buying now. A healthy supply of homes to let helps keep rents at a fraction of some of the larger cities”.

The study showed that Londoners are paying almost 41% of their income on rent, followed closely by Oxford, where renters spend a whopping 39% of their net wages.

Richard added: “Studies like this help to reinforce the message that Swindon really is a smart choice. We’re continuing to attract ambitious young people, investors, and families from all over the country that are increasingly aware of what we already know: you’d be better off in Swindon”.