Building More Homes
House of Lords
Download Document| Date Published | July 15, 2016 |
| Version | |
| Primary Author | Published by the Authority of the House of Lords |
| Other Authors | |
| Theme | Housing Supply, Housing Finance Policy |
| Country | United Kingdom |
Abstract
A growing population, rising immigration and rising incomes have increased demand for housing in England in recent decades.2 But, as the Minister admitted, too few homes have been built over this period. House prices and rents in some parts of England have risen sharply. There has been a decline in home ownership over the past decade. This, coupled with the decline in the number of homes available in the social sector, means that an increasing proportion of people are now housed by private landlords. We must build enough homes to make housing more affordable for everyone—to rent or to buy. Aspirant home owners who are unable to afford a deposit pay substantial proportions of their income on rent; families on waiting lists for social housing contend with insecure tenancies and rogue landlords while spending on housing benefit has almost doubled in real terms over the last two decades. As the Minister explained to us, the Government is aiming to address problems in the housing market by building one million homes in England by the end of this Parliament while also helping people into home ownership through various schemes.