The Wates Family Enterprise Trust supports thought leaders across the UK to provide new and refreshing perspectives to the challenges of housing quality and housing supply in the UK today. [...] The report also shows the extent to which so many people across the country are worried about the state of housing in Britain, and demonstrates a strong public mandate to take action to deal with our country’s housing shortage and housing problems. [...] The relationship between supply and affordability One of the challenges around responding to broad public concern about affordability is that the public are more interested in outcomes (affordability) than on the causes such as supply and demand. [...] Even in the face of insecurity and worsening housing affordability, Generation Z and Millennials are more likely than older people to believe that “everyone should be able to own their own home.” This means that the very people who are least likely to own homes are among the most likely to think it is important. [...] The two ‘disengaged’ groups are the least convinced about the benefits of housebuilding, but that is partly due to apathy, as they are the most likely to say that they don’t know or that it will make no difference.
- Pages
- 40
- Published in
- United Kingdom
Table of Contents
- About More in Common 2
- About the British Seven segments 2
- Progressive Activists 2
- Civic Pragmatists 2
- Disengaged Battlers 2
- Established Liberals 3
- Loyal Nationals 3
- Disengaged Traditionalists 3
- Backbone Conservatives 3
- Contents 4
- Foreword 5
- Executive Summary 6
- While the media and political debate on housebuilding is polarised between builders and blockers most people see themselves as balancers. 6
- Britons are concerned that housing is unaffordable 6
- Peoples policy preferences do not always match those of pro-housebuilding campaigners 7
- People dont feel like housebuilding benefits them 7
- Neither political party can really claim to own housing as an issue 7
- Take concerns seriously. 7
- Focus on balancers not builders or blockers. 7
- Make more winners. 7
- Section 1 The publics starting points on housing 8
- Britons concerns about housing today 8
- Housing and the affordability of housing specifically consistently ranks in the top half of the publics list of top concerns. 8
- Concern about housing affordability is shaped by peoples everyday experiences. 8
- Michelle Loyal National Darlington 8
- Julie Progressive Activist South Cambridgeshire 9
- Jacob Disengaged Traditionalist Milton Keynes 9
- Kirstie Civic Pragmatist Milton Keynes 9
- Some feel the pinch more than others. 9
- Age also drives concern about housing 9
- The contrast between young groups and Baby Boomers is stark 10
- Britain doesnt build enough homes 12
- The public think that housebuilding is too low nationally but not locally. 12
- For many people this is a national housebuilding crisis not a local housebuilding crisis 12
- The relationship between supply and affordability 13
- One of the challenges around responding to broad public concern about affordability is that the public are more interested in outcomes affordability than on the causes 13
- Becky Loyal National Darlington 13
- Julie Progressive Activist South Cambridgeshire 13
- Kyra Established Liberal South Cambridgeshire 13
- Jacob Disengaged Traditionalist Milton Keynes 14
- The focus on affordability without the context of why homes are so expensive helps explain the publics strong preference for social housing 14
- Serena Civic Pragmatist Milton Keynes 14
- In the mind of most Britons the key causes of worsening affordability are a lack of housebuilding combined with significant population growth. 14
- The other side of the not enough homes equation is too many people for the number of homes we have 15
- Leigh Loyal National Darlington 15
- Jacob Disengaged Traditionalist Milton Keynes 15
- Saeefa Disengaged Traditionalist Milton Keynes 16
- Michelle Loyal National Darlington 16
- The relationship between population increases and the housing crisis polarises opinion among the segments 16
- Commitment to a home-owning democracy 17
- Younger generations are not turning away from the principle of a home-owning democracy. 17
- Housing tenure is also closely linked to pro-ownership values 17
- Section 2 Britons and housebuilding 19
- More than two in five Britons 43 per cent think housebuilding should be one of the top 20
- Navigating opposition to housebuilding 21
- Public support for housebuilding is conditional on people believing that there is a broader benefit of housebuilding for them and their community. 21
- Allaying local concerns about pressure on local infrastructure and local public services 21
- Mark Established Liberal South Cambridgeshire 21
- Serena Civic Pragmatist Milton Keynes 22
- Luke Loyal National Darlington 22
- Building support for housebuilding 23
- One of the most interesting though perhaps obvious - insights from this research is 23
- Section 3 A policy agenda to get Britain building by bringing the public on board 25
- Different combinations of policies appeal to different segments 25
- The Green Belt is unassailable - the grey belt is not 26
- Some have suggested moving the goalposts taking the green out of Green Belt. 27
- Planning rules for a reason 29
- The current Renters Reform Bill is popular 30
- Section 4 The politics of housing 31
- Labour has a small advantage on housebuilding but neither party is doing well 31
- Britons believe that the parties represent different interest groups 31
- Conservatives Renters Reform Bill can undo their image as the party of landlords 32
- Anti-politics is the order of the day 33
- Jacob Disengaged Traditionalist Milton Keynes 34
- Leigh Loyal National Darlington 34
- Leon Civic Pragmatist Milton Keynes 34
- Conclusion 35
- Use moderate language. 35
- Assuage peoples concerns. 35
- Understand incentives. 35
- Talk about smarter planning rules not looser. 35
- Build on the grey belt. 35
- Link housebuilding to regeneration and levelling up. 35
- Do not rely on supply as the answer to affordability. 35
- Promises count for nothing without results. 35
- Annex A British Seven Segments 36
- Group identity and tribalism 36
- Group favouritism 36
- Parenting styles 36
- Moral Foundations 36
- Personal agency 36
- Methodology 39
- Quantitative Research 39
- First poll 39
- Second poll 39
- Third poll 39
- Qualitative Research 39
