We’re supporting the NHF’s campaign for a long-term plan for housing

17 May 2024
As a member of the National Housing Federation (NHF) we support calls for the next government to commit to a long-term plan for housing.
New Homes
We support calls for a long-term plan for housing
The NHF has written an open letter to Rishi Sunak, Sir Keir Starmer and Sir Ed Davey ahead of the next general election and warned “an entire generation of children risk having their futures snatched away if the next Prime Minister does not act to end the housing crisis”.

It’s estimated that there are 8.5 million people in England who can’t access the housing they need. This includes two million children in England living in overcrowded, unaffordable or unsuitable homes.

The open letter references new research from YouGov, the survey claims:

  • Nearly 1 in 3 (31%) people living in the UK say they have been negatively impacted by housing issues in the last 12 months – equivalent to 16 million people
  • More than 8 in 10 (85%) support building homes in their local area (either social housing, homes for private rent, or homes for sale)
  • The majority of UK voters (53%) across all political parties think the government should prioritise building social homes over housing for private rent or sale
  • Nearly 3 in 10 parents impacted by housing issues said this had negatively impacted their children's health, behaviour, confidence, education or relationships.
If urgent action is not taken. New NHF analysis suggests that in England, by the end of the next parliament:

  • 7 children in every school will be homeless – 160,000 children
  • 85 children in every school will be overcrowded – 2.1 million children
  • 1 in 5 families – 4.8 million – will be unable to afford their rent or mortgage.
The NHF calls on leaders to “move away from short-term, piecemeal policy decisions on housing and commit to the long-term strategic approach required”.

Research by the Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr), commissioned by Shelter and the NHF, suggests in the first year the next government could add over £50bn to the economy, including £12bn net profit to the taxpayer, by building 90,000 desperately needed social homes. It adds that this would directly support nearly 140,000 jobs in the first year alone.

Read the open letter in full

Find out more about NHF’s call for a long-term plan for housing