Healey highlights government 'failures' over housing

Labour has published an analysis of statistics that it believes illustrates the Conservative government, and the Conservative-led coalition government before it, has not done enough on housing.

The report, entitled Five Years of Failure: The Tory Housing Record, said home ownership levels have fallen, deposits have increased, homelessness has become more prevalent, help for private renters has decreased and the building of genuinely affordable homes has declined.

The report uses national statistics to show the average deposit has increased from £43,000 in 2010 to £57,000 in 2015, while there are 205,000 fewer homeowners than in 2010.

It also cited letting agent figures showing private rents have increased by £1,636 a year since 2010 and referred to government figures showing the number of people in work claiming housing benefit has increased by 486,000 in five years.

The report says the affordable rent model – under which social landlords can charge up to 80% of market rates – is unaffordable to many families.

It predicts that if current government policies do not change there will be a shortfall of 1.3 million homes by 2020, while the private rented sector will have doubled to 16.3 million people.

Mr Healey said: ‘”For five years, the Conservatives had the chance to tackle the housing crisis – but they’ve failed.

“Their five years of failure on housing means worry and misery for millions struggling with the cost of the housing crisis.”

The report does not say how Labour would tackle the housing crisis. However, new leader Jeremy Corbyn has pledged lifting council housing revenue borrowing caps and the setting up of a new National Investment Bank to fund housing and infrastructure.

The Conservative party has been contacted for comment.

UPDATE: At 12.22pm on 28.9.2015

This story was updated to remove a £ sign from paragraph seven.