Fewer social homes are being built than at any time since the Second World War, new official figures have revealed. Just 5,380 new social homes were completed across England last year – down from 6,800 the previous year.
The number has plummeted from 39,560 in 2010/11 – the year the Conservatives came to power. The fall is in part a consequence of the Government’s decision to prioritise the building of affordable homes, which are around 30 per cent more expensive, over social homes.
Local authorities say extending the Right to Buy policy, which allows social housing tenants to buy their properties, and forcing councils to sell off their most valuable homes, has led to fewer new social homes being built.
Polly Neate, chief executive of housing charity Shelter, said: “With rents sky high and more than 250,000 people homeless in England, it’s clear to see just how bad our affordable housing shortage has become. This is largely due to handing near total control of our house-building to big developers who have little appetite for building affordable homes."
The study, by the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR), said only 67 per cent of local authorities are meeting their overall housing need and even fewer are delivering enough homes for people on low and middle incomes.
The study found that some areas are missing their housing targets by huge margins. The shortfall in Greater Manchester, for example, is 42 per cent – or 4,518 homes each year. The deficit is likely to be even higher in many parts of London and the South East.
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