‘The Jilted Generation’ by Shiv Malik and Ed Howker sets out how the baby boomers have let us down – in jobs, in education and in housing. 
Free and exclusive to the PricedOut website, you can download a taster of their chapter on housing. Also see their website. PricedOut research is quoted in the book and we're hoping to be doing some exciting stuff with the authors in the near future.
|
|
Shelter - Real Census
Shelter has just launched the Real Census to find out about people's experiences of the UK housing market. Please get involved by sharing your views and experiences, including of the private rented sector, housing affordable, issues of overcrowding.
National Housing Federation Report
The recent publication of the National Housing Federation’s report into the state of the UK housing market highlighted a number of issues that, unfortunately, held no surprises for PricedOut. This includes:
- Estimating that rents will rise by another 20% over the next five years;
- Predicting that the average house price will rise by 21% to £260,000 over the same period (with UK house prices remaining at over six times the average salary);
- Estimating that levels of home-ownership in the UK will fall to 63% over the next decade, with home ownership primarily declining amongst younger generations;
- Highlighting the fact that levels of house-building are at their lowest since the 1920s, with only 105,000 homes built last year.
You can read some of our responses to the publication of the report here
This report underlines some of the key challenges that are on the horizon for PricedOut and which we will continue to campaign Government on over the coming months. These challenges include:
- Campaigning for more affordable housing to be built. We are currently scrutinising the proposals outlined in the Government’s National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). We broadly support proposals to reform the planning system and free up more land for house-building – though we recognise the need to balance this with the need for green spaces and protection of important landscapes. The draft NPPF proposals can be viewed in full here.
- Incentivising the building sector to increase its production of decent, affordable homes – how can we ensure that this happens, even if reform of the planning system increases the supply of cheaper land? Also, how will we ensure that building companies produce the type of homes that are needed, suitable for both young people and families looking for a decent place to live (rather than yet more built-to-let studio and one-bed ‘luxury apartments’?)
- Reform of the private rented sector. One of the key lessons from the NFF’s research is surely that the Government needs to reform the private rented sector, the least affordable and least secure sector. If more and more people are to find themselves forced to live in this sector (those now being referred to as ‘Generation Rent’), we need to see vastly improved tenants’ rights, creating the kind of security that does not yet exist in this sector and reflecting the security enjoyed by private tenants in other parts of Europe.
As always, we are keen to hear from anyone interested in debating these issues and sharing their ideas with us. Please contact katy@pricedout.org.uk if you are interested in getting involved with campaign activities.
Help Turn Empty Buildings into Homes
Take Action for Cheaper Housing Now!
A key government proposal to make housing cheaper for First Time Buyers may be under threat.
The government has announced that it is looking to make it easier to convert empty commercial property into residential accommodation.
Towns and cities across the UK are currently awash with empty offices, warehouses and shops – whilst house prices stay close to record highs. Making it easier to convert these places to residential housing would help First Time Buyers greatly – at a time when house building is at record lows.
However these plans are in danger of grinding to a halt. We need to make sure that supportive First Time Buyers lobby government.
Help make sure this idea doesn’t get buried – take action now
Budget First Time Buyer Scheme:
Irresponsible and counter productive
Commenting on the budget announcement of a new assisted deposit scheme, PricedOut spokesperson Matt Griffith said: "The interests of First Time Buyers are not being served by this new assisted deposit scheme."
"When independent economists are predicting a 10% fall in house prices this year, having the government encouraging First Time Buyers get onto the ladder using a 5% deposit looks foolhardy at best and, at worst, pretty irresponsible.
"The reason why banks aren't lending to First Time Buyers without a large deposit is because banks know they have a very large funding gap, and that house prices are likely to fall further. Having the government using tax payers money to encourage vulnerable consumers to take on a very large debt burden, when house prices are highly likely to fall, is not something we should welcome"
"George Osbourne is behaving like a shop keeper trying to shift overpriced stock by offering a clever financing scheme. Consumers would be wise to be sceptical and steer clear, the big problem is that prices are still far too high".
"It's main purpose appears to be to help bail out the house building sector - which is suffering from buying too much expensive land at the peak of the boom. We saw plenty of these schemes under the Brown government, and it is depressing to see the coalition continue to put the interests of the building industry before the best interests of consumers."
|
How can you help?
Add your voice to the campaign Politicians listen to numbers. Sign up today and be heard!
Recommend us to friends There are over a million people priced out of stable accommodation. Encourage them and others to join this growing campaign - tell a friend
Support us with donations If you want to help but can't spare the time, please give a small towards our running costs by donating here.
Volunteer If you'd like to help PricedOut with the web site, press, policy or research please contact katy@pricedout.org.uk.
Note: PricedOut is run by volunteers and funded by donations. We are not affiliated to any political party.
|