Housing

Despite the salience of housing problems and the climate crisis, none of the three main parties propose policies that will substantially alter current worsening problems or reduce housing’s CO2 production sufficient to meet net zero goals, and the housing budget will probably be reduced further.

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Labour and the Conservatives emphasise new building and support for first time buyers (FTBers). New building is an indirect route to improving affordability and helping the worst off, and FTBers are generally not the youngest or worst-off people.

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All parties but Reform pledge to ensure substantial housebuilding (and some conversion and reuse). The Conservatives promise 1.6m new homes over five years or 320,000/yr in England, but do not specify tenure. Labour promises 1.5m, and the ‘biggest increase in social and affordable house building in a generation’, without giving numbers. Plaid Cymru promise a ‘significant expansion’ of social housing. The Lib Dems mention some affordable housing. The Greens offer 150,000 social rented homes a year, with unspecified numbers in other tenures. As context, over 2019–24 about 200,000 homes were built per year, the vast majority for owner occupation. Labour and the Conservatives assume that more building will improve affordability and access to home ownership. In contrast, the Greens propose demand and cost management, aiming for no real growth in housing prices, alongside private rent control. With Plaid the emphasis is on the efficient use of existing homes, bringing empties back into use, and restricting and taxing second homes and short-term lets.

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All parties want to change the planning system. The Conservatives, Labour and Reform want faster decisions. Labour will reverse Conservative changes to restore mandatory local targets for house building, and will allow some development on ‘grey’ green belt. The Lib Dems also want more powers for planners, and they and Labour promise more funding. The Lib Dems will allow councils to buy land at current use value, rather than the value including planning permission, enabling more affordable development at the expense of landowners. Labour will also amend compulsory purchase to reduce payments to landowners. In contrast, the Greens will reverse the 2012 presumption in favour of (‘sustainable’) development, emphasising biodiversity and public benefit.

 

The Conservatives will reduce costs for FTBers with a ‘permanent’ reduction in stamp duty, extending Truss’s 2022–25 holiday, alongside a continued Mortgage Guarantee Scheme, with government guarantees to enable people to buy with just 5% deposit (about £12,000 on average in England). Labour will not make the tax cut but will also continue mortgage guarantees, and offer FTBers ‘first dibs’ (but no help with cost) on new homes. The Right to Buy, one route to affordable home ownership but a drain on social housing, has ended in Scotland and Wales. In England, only the Conservatives plan to keep it unchanged. Labour will review the (Conservative) enhanced discounts and increase protections on new social housing, while the Lib Dems will let councils decide. The Greens will end both the Right to Buy and mortgage guarantees.

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In England, all parties except Reform will pass something like the failed Renters Reform Bill 2024, and end ‘no fault’ evictions for private renters. Labour will also ensure all homes meet ‘minimum’ standards and give private tenants the same powers as social renters to challenge landlords. The Lib Dems plan compulsory local registration. The Greens want local boards to negotiate disputes. Going further, the Greens and Plaid plan some form of rent control, limiting when and how much rent can increase, and Labour will allow tenants to challenge big rent increases. Reform, in contrast, offers support to private landlords.

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In 2019, the Conservatives promised to end rough sleeping by 2024. A special COVID-19 pandemic effort almost achieved this, but then numbers rose again. The Conservatives promise to ‘continue’ work, and Labour and Plaid match this; Plaid will use Housing First. The Greens more boldly promise to end rough sleeping, and the Lib Dems all forms of homelessness.

Icon credit: Muhamad Sukron/The Noun Project