Written by City Hire.
The housing crisis continues to affect numerous people; from first time buyers and renters to people who sadly do not have access to housing at all. With investment in public housing being a low priority for years, many people are living in unsuitable conditions; and this is impacting people of all demographics in every corner of the country.
Demand for housing has exceeded supply for a number of years now, and policies aimed at solving this crisis have the potential to win votes.
With the General Election only weeks away, and the party manifestos released, we take a look at what Labour, The Conservatives and The Liberal Democrats have pledged when it comes to the housing sector:
In addition to the key pledges as depicted above, there are various other policies relating to the housing sector that the parties have said they will accomplish if they were to get voted into power.
All parties have vowed to end rough sleeping by 2024, and in response to the Grenfell disaster, Labour has promised to ‘introduce a 1 billion Fire Safety Fund to fit sprinklers and other fire safety measures in all high rise council and housing association tower blocks’.
For first time buyers, The Conservatives have said, “We will encourage a new market in long-term fixed-rate mortgages which slash the cost of deposits, opening up a secure path to homeownership for first-time buyers in all parts of the United Kingdom”, whereas Labour’s manifesto says “We will build more low-cost homes reserved for first-time buyers in every area…”. Finally, the Liberal Democrats’ Manifesto states to “Help people who cannot afford a deposit by introducing a new Rent to Own model for social housing where rent payments give tenants an increasing stake in the property, owning it outright after 30 years.”
All of the three main parties are making similar promises but offering different ways to tackle the housing crisis in the UK. We have reviewed data from the past four decades in order to place these pledges within the context of the historical record of successive governments. Take a look at our post for the full infographic showcasing government spend.