Posted 11.11.19
The Resolution Foundation: Further reading
In a new analysis just published, the Resolution Foundation warns that higher housing costs have reduced incomes and increased inequality as the poorest families have borne the brunt of Britain's 40-year housing crisis.
The research - Inequality Street - notes that the housing crisis is centred on low home ownership, high housing costs and a particularly acute disaster for low-income families.
The report notes that the burden of rising housing costs has fallen more heavily on those families with lower incomes. In 1980, the poorest families spent 15p of every £1 of income on housing. Today it has more than doubled to 40p.
It also concludes that higher social rents, more private renting and declining support from housing benefit have been a major living standards headwind for Britain's poorest families over the past 15 years, wiping out 90% of all income gains since the early 2000s.
The Foundation says it is vital that the parties' elections manifestos recognise that tackling housing crisis requires action to help lower income families who have been at its sharp end in recent years.
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Posted 07.11.19
Altair Ltd: Further reading
Michael Appleby, Markets & Growth Director at Altair, opens this report by noting that affordable housing in the UK is by no means perfect - estimates suggest that between 1997 and 2017 there was an overall deficit of 600k new homes compared to UK Government targets.
He goes on to say that this does, however, hide the fact that the UK has one of most well established social housing systems in the world, which has been in existence for over 100 years.
He also notes that many new initiatives have been tried and many lessons can be learned by other countries seeking to develop or boost their own affordable housing programmes.
His report explores factors frustrating house building targets in the affordable housing sector and some of the issues that need to be addressed.
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Updated 12.11.19
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