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A typical home in the West Midlands has made half as much money as the average worker in the past year, new data shows.

The price of the average home in the region rose to £208,000 at the end of July – an increase of £10,000 across the year.

So a standard home is bringing in almost £1,000 a month – compared to an average monthly salary of £2.082.60 in the region, according to data from the Office for National Statistics.

The 4.9 per cent rise in West Midland property prices reflected a º£½ÇÊÓƵ-wide increase of 5.2 per cent which meant the average home in the country now costs £282,000.

The sharp rise represents the biggest monthly hike seen for a year, buoyed by a continued lack of housing supply and extremely cheap mortgage deals.

Campbell Robb, chief executive of charity Shelter, said such sharp hikes had left many families unable to afford a home.

"Not addressing our dramatic shortage of homes is pushing house prices higher and higher and a stable home further out of reach for millions of young people and families," he said.

"Instead, they're trapped in expensive and insecure private renting or stuck in childhood bedrooms."