Poor housing quality causes homelessness, damages health and reduces opportunities in life. It contributes to carbon emissions and fuel poverty.
Housing shortages make housing unaffordable and hold back economic growth as well as trapping people in poverty.
There are over 100,000 households in temporary accommodation, including 145,800 children, a number that has doubled in the last 12 years – in London it’s now one in 30 children. Any new government must be making plans to reverse this trend quickly.
Stephen Teagle, Chair of the Board said:
With growing numbers of people homeless and priced out of a home of their own it is not surprising that housing has risen up the political agenda in recent years, and we are encouraged to hear the ambitions of all main parties to increase housebuilding and ensure more affordable homes are built. We urge all the political parties to put together ambitious policy proposals to unblock the planning system and to build capacity amongst housing providers and the wider sector.
We are calling for a Housing Accelerator Fund – this year – to tackle the affordable housing backlog. This would be a £4bn fund to provide 60,000 new affordable rented homes to reduce homelessness by more than half over three years and slash expenditure on temporary accommodation.
The Housing Forum has set out the proposals we would like to see in more detail in our Manifesto for Housing. We are calling for manifesto commitments that support delivery and action to:
1.Increase housing supply. A quality home for all our citizens is critical. Housing is essential infrastructure and contributes directly to growth. An increase in the supply of new, well-designed homes can be delivered within the next parliament, growing the economy and helping to address climate change.
2.Improve quality, safety and sustainability. We need to move our existing housing stock to zero carbon energy use and drive up standards in new homes by supporting supply chains with new technologies.
3.Ensure affordable housing and choice for all. Funding is needed for the affordable housing sector to deliver homes for those in need, and to enable housebuilding to continue during a period of housing market downturn. A range of housing products is needed to ensure choice for all generations.
We need a financially robust housing sector where councils and housing associations have the capacity to deliver housing at scale. Policy reform such as removing VAT on building safety works and funding to support decarbonisation can really help.
We are calling on all political parties to commit to a long-term plan for housing. Our vision for housing in 25 years’ time is one of sufficient housing for everyone, supported by improved infrastructure in well-designed places where communities flourish.
For comments please contact: Anna Clarke, Director of Policy and Public Affairs, 07442 405513 or anna.clarke@housingforum.org.uk.
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