The major parties have been sharing their vision on how to make buying your first home more accessible as house prices continue to rise.

Across the Cumberland Council area, which stretches from the Northumberland Border down to Millom, the average house price in April was £166,017 – a rise of more than 4 per cent in the last year.

First-time buyers across the same Cumberland Council area spent an average of £141,900 on their property – £6,100 more than a year ago, and £24,200 more than in April 2019.

In an interview with the News and Star earlier this month, a prospective first-time buyer described the problems faced by young people trying to get on the housing ladder.

"With the way house prices and deposits are rising, I get more nervous each day about trying to get myself on the property ladder,” said the person who didn’t wish to be named.

"I also understand that to get a house you need to make sacrifices in order to save money. But people talk about the younger generation using Netflix or getting a hot drink from time-to-time but these house prices do not contend with the price of a flat white.

"As young people, I feel like we cannot enjoy any of the luxuries of living whilst wanting a house without being ridiculed by some people in generations who never had to compete with the prices we are seeing today."

In response to the challenging environment for first time buyers, the Conservatives have pledged to abolish stamp duty permanently for homes up to £425,000 for first-time buyers and to introduce a “new and improved” Help to Buy scheme.

The new Help to Buy scheme being proposed by the Conservatives, should they win the General Election in July, would provide first-time buyers with an equity loan of up to 20 per cent towards the cost of a new-build home.

First-time buyers would be able to get onto the housing ladder with a 5 per cent deposit under the scheme. The initiative would in part be funded by contributions from house builders.

Labour have also unveiled their plans to make it easier for first time buyers.

The party are set to undertake major planning reform to build 1.5 million homes and introduce a Freedom to Buy Scheme to help people secure a mortgage.

READ MORE: Tesco Express moving into House of Fraser unit 'real boost' for city

They are set to offer first call for local people on new developments, tax foreign buyers to fund planning officer and reform compulsory purchase rules to get homes built.

The Liberal Democrats have called for new ‘garden villages’ to be built and more social housing.

The Green Party have pledged new social housing and to bring empty properties back into use if they were elected.