Housing

The ultimate list of UK housing statistics 2021

December 2020 saw yearly average house prices rise by 8.5%, the highest percentage increase since October 2014. This has mostly been due to the Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) holiday which has encouraged sellers to increase asking prices thanks to reduced purchasing costs.

Why Britain’s newbuilds are so ugly

£400m is earmarked to help build homes on brownfield sites and to redevelop empty high streets for housing.

By Richard Reed

Will anything ever stop the madness of the British housing market?

In the last year, the average house has earned more than the average worker – and the government is to blame. 

By Jonn Elledge

Second homeowners are harming local communities and the planet

In addition to the climate impacts, owning a second home has damaging social consequences.

By Donnachadh McCarthy

Home Truths by Liam Halligan: how money rules the UK’s housing shortage

It is shocking to see how much house prices can vary for different parts of the country. It is a fact that the price of renting, buying, or both in some cases, has increased faster than wages and income. According to Full Fact, the average real wage fell from the start of the global financial crash of 2008 until mid-2014. However, as Halligan notes, the average UK home costs eight times someone’s annual earnings.

Bubble trouble brewing in the housing market

With property prices around the world now growing by double digits, how big a risk are central banks running?

By Russell Lynch, Economics Editor

George Clarke: My bold vision for the future of UK housing

The UK needs bold, ambitious action if it is to tackle its housing crisis head-on. The Big Issue asked architect, TV presenter and social homes advocate George Clarke what he would do if he was in charge of housing policy.

By Adrian Lobb

Changing attitudes to second home ownership

The number of people who own a second home has risen 33% in ten years according to data from the English Housing Survey. 

The future of UK housing and the construction industry

It’s been a turbulent period for the construction industry over the past year. With the ongoing pandemic and the continuing uncertainty surrounding post-Brexit trade deals, it has been somewhat difficult for companies to plan their projects.

The micro homes designed to tackle the UK housing crisis

Nine of the eco-friendly dwellings are being mooted for brownfield land in Bristol. Could the concept help other UK cities create much-needed affordable housing?

By Gavin Haines

Grenfell: four years after the disaster, are our buildings safer?

An article from The Conversation.

By Paresh Wankade, Professor of Leadership and Management, Edge Hill University

17.5 million people now impacted by the housing emergency

Race, disability, sexuality and socio-economic status all barriers in the fight for a safe home

Half of Brits say they would support a large increase in housebuilding in Britain

Brits generally support an increase of homes – just not if it results in large amounts of borrowing, smaller housing units or on top of green land.

By Lukas Paleckis, Political Research Executive

Global: who does – and doesn’t – want to own a home?

YouGov Profiles data shows that, among people who don’t currently own a home, three quarters (76%) want to.

By Christien Pheby

Renting vs buying: should I get a mortgage?

With property prices around the world now growing by double digits, how big a risk are central banks running?

By Nick Green, Financial Journalist

How do we fix the UK housing crisis?

By Hilary Osborne, Pamela Duncan, Lydia McMullan

Eco-homes become hot property in UK’s zero-carbon ‘paradigm shift’

Smart, low-carbon homes were once the preserve of one-off grand designs – now there are up to 30,000 projects in the pipeline.

By Oliver Wainwright

Why more people want to live in tiny houses

People I have spoken to who build tiny homes cite a desire for simplicity and a move away from a life focused on spending and buying, writes Alice Elizabeth Watson.

By Alice ELizabeth Watson

Blueprint for future of UK housing unveiled

£400m is earmarked to help build homes on brownfield sites and to redevelop empty high streets for housing.

By Richard Reed

Building more homes won’t solve UK housing crisis, new report argues

Despite rapid house-building, UK house prices have grown 160 per cent in real terms since their low point in 1996.

By Oleysa Dmitracova, Economics and Business Editor