Research from homelessness charity Shelter has shown that over one million households are waiting for social homes, yet last year fewer than 7,000 were built while 29,000 social homes were sold or demolished.
Radical policy change is needed to address this crisis. I do believe it is possible to build enough housing in three years to make a material difference but it will need politicians to think bigger and remove rather than add red tape to an already convoluted system.
Designating land within the green belt for housing would be a good start as this can often be the most sustainable location for new housing as natural extensions to existing towns. We should also be looking at freeing up unused government and local authority property, as well as unused MoD and NHS properties and land.
There should then be a removal of tick-box planning restrictions except in exceptional cases. Abolishing stamp duty below £300,000 should be another priority, while there must also be more focus on shared ownership to provide support to young people trying to get onto the ladder.
It is a basic human need to have a roof over one’s head. Yet the impact of not having suitable housing can also have a significant wider impact on future outcomes, including education.
Research from UK education charity School-Home Support found that 19pc of children cited housing concerns as an obstacle to school attendance, up from 11pc last academic year.
Housing issues can affect attendance and punctuality, particularly if families are moving into temporary accommodation further away from schools. Poor housing similarly affects health outcomes, social relationships and community building.
Addressing housing and its wider impacts must be a priority. Similarly to the Conservatives’ recent announcements, it has been positive to see the Labour Party pledging to increase the amount of affordable housing.
Only time will tell though, if they are elected, whether they actually have the desire and firepower to do this or if they will let people down as the Blair government did when they had the chance to transform the UK under far better economic conditions.
Guy Hands is the founder of private equity firm Terra Firma Capital Partners.
