8.4 million people are in need of a suitable home in England alone.
According to research into the housing crisis in England, the National Housing Federation has found that one in every seven people are directly affected by the current and widening crisis.
The research recommends an immediate Governmental cash injection of £12.8 billion over the next decade in order to build 340,000 new homes per year to help prevent the problem from increasing in England.
As part of this total, 145,000 social homes will also be built and will include 90,000 homes for social rent, 30,000 homes at intermediate rent and 25,000 shared ownership homes.
The recommendations come after their research suggested as many as 8.4 million people are living in unsuitable homes or properties they cannot afford.
Shockingly, 5 million people are living in homes because they are unable to afford a property without the people they are living with. 2.5 million of those people are unable to afford their rent or mortgage and need an alternative social option.
However, the same number again are living in hidden households because of their financial needs. This refers to people living with parents, house shares, and even ex-couples cohabiting because they are unable to afford to live separately.
3.6 million people are thought to be living in overcrowded housing with 1.5 million living in poor quality accommodation.
Additionally, 400,000 people are thought to be homeless, at risk of homelessness, living in temporary accommodation or sofa surfing.
A key criticism of the housing crisis has been an inability to produce the types of housing people need. The research suggests that 1.7 million people are living in unsuitable housing. This includes elderly and people with disabilities living in homes they are unable to move around in, in addition to families forced to live in inappropriate properties such as flats with insufficient space.
Kate Henderson, Chief Executive at the National Housing Federation, says:
“Today’s research reveals the full enormity of the housing crisis – clearly, it is the single biggest domestic issue we face. The Government risks losing votes if it doesn’t take action to tackle the consequences it has for the lives of young and old alike, all across the country.
“From Cornwall to Cumbria, millions of people are being pushed into debt and poverty because rent is too expensive, children can’t study because they have no space in their overcrowded homes, and many older or disabled people are struggling to move around their own home because it’s unsuitable.
“This crisis cannot be solved by tweaks around the edges of the housing market. What we need is a return to proper funding for social housing, to the levels last seen under Churchill. Investing in housing is a win-win for the Government – it would bring down the housing benefit bill, provide everyone with a secure and stable start in life, and kick start an economic boom creating thousands of jobs.”
What will this mean for the crisis if the Government is unable to meet the suggested recommended targets?
