Government to miss new homes target, Shelter says

Housing charity Shelter has warned that the government is likely to miss its target to build one million homes by 2020, unless radical reforms take place.

In a report, Capital Economics, Shelter warned that the UK’s decision to leave the EU had resulted in a slowdown in the rate of house building, meaning 266,000 fewer houses will be built in England.

The one million target, was set in 2015 by the former housing minister Brandon Lewis, as part of a wider aim to ease the UK’s growing housing crisis.

The news comes as data shows that house prices have risen to seven times the amount of people’s income.

In an interview with The Independent, Roger Harding, director of communications at Shelter, said: “Our housing shortage means millions of people are having to put their lives on hold – stuck in a cycle of sky high rents and instability. And at the sharp end of the crisis, homelessness is rising, with more and more families languishing in temporary accommodation.

Among its recommendations, Shelter suggested that local communities should have the power to compel landowners to make room for homes if there was local need.

In response to the predicted shortfall, a spokesperson for the Department for Communities and Local Government, said: "The reality is we are getting Britain building again, with almost 900,000 homes
delivered since the end of 2009.

“But we know there is more to do. That’s why we’ve doubled the housing budget, including investing £8 billion in an extra 400,000 quality affordable homes to rent and buy.”