Three quarters of public believe there is a housing crisis

Almost three-quarters of people believe there’s a housing crisis in this country, according to a new survey.

The survey by Ipsos MORI for the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) found 73% of respondents believe there is a housing crisis in Britain – and two thirds (67%) think that the government should do something to solve it.

More than half (52%) of those surveyed said they would support the building of new homes locally, up from 40% five years ago.

A similar number (55%) think housing has been discussed too little in Britain over the last few years

And three quarters (76%) of people said social housing is important because it helps people on lower incomes get housing which wouldn’t be affordable in the private rented sector.

More than two thirds (68%) said social housing also helps to tackle poverty.

The chief executive of the CIH, Terrie Alafat, said the survey results send a clear message to the new government.

‘The housing crisis is real, and we are simply not doing enough. It’s clear that the British public supports more social housing,’ she added.

‘Our survey shows overwhelming support for more social housing, which is why CIH has joined the National Housing Federation, Shelter, Crisis and the campaign for the Protection of Rural England to make clear what the government needs to do to end the housing crisis in England.

‘We have called for a 10-year programme to build 145,000 affordable homes a year, with 90,000 of those at social rents. This would cost £12.8 billion a year and would return spending levels to those under Winston Churchill in the early 1950s.’

‘The housing crisis is an economic, social and human catastrophe. But it can be solved. There is a solution; a solution that would add billions to our national economy and help millions of our fellow-citizens.’

But the survey also reveals a downbeat mood among those who rent.

Around half (45%) of private renters and 43% of social renters are concerned about their ability to pay rent at present.

Of those renting or living at home with their parents, 61% think they will never be able to afford to buy a home.

And more than a third of private renters, (38%) worry they’ll have to leave their local area because of the unaffordable cost of housing

‘We support the aspiration of those who want to buy their own home, but for many others home-ownership is either not an aspiration or not an option.

‘We need to make sure everyone has a place to call home, and this survey reinforces what we’ve been saying for a long time – for too many people housing is simply unaffordable,’ she added.

Photo Credit – GCampbellHall (Flickr)