Alistair SmythExternal Affairs Manager – South East
National Housing Federation
Homes for Britain
Homes for Britain| SEHF
5th February 2015
What we’ll cover today
• Introductions• The housing crisis• The Homes for Britain campaign• A bit on politics
Who we are
• The National Housing Federation is the voice of affordable housing in England. We believe that everyone should have the home they need at a price they can afford.
• That’s why we represent the work of housing associations and campaign for better housing. Our members provide two and a half million homes for more than five million people.
The South East
Average house prices 2013 (£)
Average household earnings 2013 (£)
Ratio of house prices to income
Income for 80% mortgage (£)
Average private sector rents (£ p/m)
England 251,879 26,520 9.5 57,572 720
South East 292,301 28,969 10.1 66,812 864
West Sussex
281,859 26,848 10.5 64,425 815
Crawley 219,278 25,870 8.5 50,121 870
A different approach
Create the political space
Articulate our unique offer
Secure policy commitments
Housing was not an election issue for most people in 2010
DefenceHousing
IraqPublic transport/ roads
AfghanistanProtect nat env./climate change
PenionsBenefits
Care for older peopleCrime/ law and order
UnemploymentTaxation
Asylum and immigrationEducation/ schools
HealthcareManaging the economy
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35%3%3%3%3%
5%5%5%
7%7%
8%11%
12%14%
23%26%
32%
Source: Ipsos MORI Issues Index
• Not keen on central house building targets
• 100,000 discounted homes built with S.106 exemptions
• They want to look credible on PRS and LCHO
• Cuts to housing benefits for 18-21yo and overall benefit freeze
• Lowering the overall benefit cap to £23k
The political parties and housing
• Positive about social housing, particularly council homes
• Build 200,000 homes per year by 2020
• Also very interested in PRS and LCHO
• Cap rent increases in the PRS
• The “benefits to bricks” holy grail
• Treasury team very reticent
The political parties and housing
• Most ambitious target and commitment to capital investment – build 300,000 homes per year
• A long term plan
• Garden cities
• Bringing forward unused public sector sites
The political parties and housing