Affordable housing in the United Kingdom has become an ever more potent issue in recent years, as rapid population growth and a long-term lag in new housing construction have combined to making finding secure, affordable housing difficult for a broad range of people. This book uses insights from public choice theory, the new institutionalism, and social constructionism to lay bare the historically entrenched power relationships among markets, planners, and electoral politics that have made this problem seem so intractable.
In this book, Brian Lund builds on contemporary housing crisis narratives, which tend to focus on the growth of a younger ‘generation rent,’ to include the differential effects of class, age, gender, ethnicity and place, across the United Kingdom. Current differences reflect long-established cleavages in UK society, and help to explain why housing crises persist. Placing the UK crises in their global contexts, Lund provides a critical examination of proposed solutions according to their impacts on different pathways through the housing system. As the first detailed analysis of the multifaceted origins, impact and potential solutions of the housing crisis, this book will be of vital interest to policy practitioners, professionals and academics across a wide range of areas, including housing studies, urban studies, geography, social policy, sociology, planning and politics.
Raising the Roof addresses one of the key issues of our era – the UK’s housing crisis. Housing costs in the United Kingdom are among the highest on the planet, with London virtually the most expensive major city in the world for renting or buying a home. At the core of this is one of the most centralised planning systems in the democratic world – a system that plainly doesn’t work. A system that has resulted in too few houses, which are too small, which people do not like and which are in the wrong places, a system that stifles movement and breeds Nimbyism. The IEA’s 2018 Richard Koch Breakthrough Prize, with a first prize of £50,000, sought free-market solutions to this complex and divisive problem. Here, Breakthrough Prize judge Jacob Rees-Mogg and IEA Senior Research Analyst Radomir Tylecote critique a complex system of planning and taxation that has signally failed to provide homes, preserve an attractive environment and enhance our cities. They then draw from the winning entries to the Breakthrough Prize, and previous IEA research, to put forward a series of radical and innovative measures – from releasing vast swathes of government-owned land to relaxing the suffocating grip of the green belt. Together with cutting and devolving tax, and reforms to allow cities to both densify and beautify, this would create many more homes and help restore property-owning democracy in the UK.
After World War II, the most urgent reconstruction problem in these islands was in the field of public housing, and the opportunity presented itself to create innovative buildings and to finally abolish slums. Everyone, including the slum-dwellers, united behind the plan to build new dwellings as quickly as possible. In this book Miles Glendinning and Stefan Muthesius tell the story of a great adventure of building and explain the architectural and political ideas that lay behind it.
Are you considering a move to the United Kingdom? Whether it's for career opportunities, education, or a fresh start, relocating to a new country is an exciting yet complex journey. "Your Guide to Relocating to the United Kingdom" by William Jones is your indispensable companion, providing you with a comprehensive, step-by-step handbook to ensure a smooth and successful transition to the UK. In this meticulously crafted guide, William Jones draws from his extensive experience as an expatriate and relocation expert to offer invaluable insights and practical advice on every aspect of your move to the United Kingdom. Inside this book, you'll discover: Making the Decision: Explore the motivations and considerations behind your move, and ensure it aligns with your personal and professional aspirations. Preparation and Planning: Gain a head start with detailed checklists, financial preparations, and tips on finding the right resources for a seamless transition. Navigating Immigration: Demystify the UK's immigration system, understanding visa options, and uncovering strategies for a hassle-free application process. Finding Suitable Accommodation: Navigate the UK's diverse housing market, whether you're looking to rent or buy, with expert advice on making well-informed choices. Employment and Education: Unlock the doors to career opportunities and education excellence, with tips on job hunting, furthering your education, and career advancement. Settling In and Adapting: Learn how to adapt to your new environment, embrace British culture, and build a support network that will help you thrive. Legal and Social Aspects: Navigate legalities, healthcare, finances, and your rights as a resident of the UK with confidence. Cultural and Lifestyle Adjustments: Discover the nuances of British life, from social etiquette to entertainment options, and enrich your experience as you settle in. Staying Connected: Maintain strong ties with loved ones back home and establish connections within your new community to ensure emotional well-being and a sense of belonging. Future Planning: Secure your financial future, advance your career, plan for your family, and prepare for a comfortable retirement within the UK's dynamic landscape. "Your Guide to Relocating to the United Kingdom" is more than just a handbook; it's your roadmap to a successful and fulfilling life in the UK. William Jones' expert guidance and insightful tips will empower you to make the most of this transformative journey, whether you're embarking on a temporary adventure or planning to make the UK your permanent home. Embark on your journey to the United Kingdom with the confidence of thorough preparation and the excitement of new beginnings. This guide is your key to a seamless and enriching relocation experience, ensuring that your future in the UK is a prosperous and rewarding one.
The UK's chronic housing shortage is lowering the quality of life for millions, turning the British dream of home ownership into a cruel nightmare – not least for 'generation rent'. Countless vulnerable families are meanwhile being deprived of access to decent social housing, causing homelessness to spiral. In this searing polemic, Liam Halligan offers radical solutions to the most urgent political issue of our times. Fully updated, with a foreword from former Chancellor Sajid Javid and drawing on extensive interviews with Cabinet ministers, civil servants, leading developers and struggling homebuyers across the country, Home Truths is a no-holds-barred critique of the UK's housing crisis.
Some vols. include supplemental journals of "such proceedings of the sessions, as, during the time they were depending, were ordered to be kept secret, and respecting which the injunction of secrecy was afterwards taken off by the order of the House."
KEY ISSUES The economy has rebounded strongly and prospects are promising. Headwinds that previously held back the economy—relating notably to credit conditions and confidence—have eased. Nonetheless, sustaining strong growth will depend on a recovery in productivity growth and further demand rebalancing. The housing market brings risks of financial vulnerabilities. Sterling is moderately overvalued. The overall policy mix is appropriate, but policy settings might need to be adjusted quickly. Effective monetary conditions are very supportive, compensating for ongoing fiscal consolidation: ? Accommodative monetary policy is appropriate for now, given weak inflation pressures, but policy might need to be adjusted quickly if inflation takes off. Interest rate increases may also need to be considered if macroprudential tools are insufficient to deal with financial stability risks from the housing market. ? The authorities have recently implemented macroprudential measures, including limiting the share of high loan-to-income mortgages lenders can issue, establishing them as the primary defense against housing-related risks. They should stand ready to tighten these limits should current settings prove ineffective in reining in those risks. ? A lasting solution to house price pressures requires measures to address insufficient supply. Significant planning reforms have been undertaken, but political consensus is needed to make further progress in this area. ? High deficits and rising debt mean that fiscal consolidation needs to continue. The pace and composition of deficit reduction over the near term is appropriate. Further reducing the deficit over the medium term will be challenging; both revenue and expenditure measures should be considered, keeping in mind both equity and efficiency. ? The financial sector is more robust, the new financial architecture is settling in, and significant changes have been made to banks’ liquidity backstops to adapt to changing needs. Implementing macroprudential policy will be a test of the new architecture. Some problems—such as Too Important To Fail and bank misconduct— persist, and new challenges, such as from shadow banking, are emerging.
The main purpose of this paper is to assess the risks to the financial sector that currently emanate from the United Kingdom property markets. The interaction of property markets with financial markets has important implications for financial stability. Cycles in the prices of housing and commercial property affect the balance sheets of households, banks, and other financial institutions. Excessive lending and price swings in property markets can cause significant distress to both borrowers and lenders. A drop in prices of real property weights on firms’ access to finance, which can reduce economic activity, leads to further declines in asset prices and potential financial stability risks.
This is a major new textbook on UK housing policy covering contemporary issues, policies and management across the whole range of housing tenures set in a historical and comparative context. Designed as a replacement for Peter Malpass and Alan Murie's highly successful Housing Policy and Practice, it addresses the evolution of policy and practice with a central focus on five key themes: institutional and governance arrangements, economic and demographic change, the loss of identity of housing policy, the interlinked issues of inequality and standards and the interests served or involved in the processes and outcomes of housing policy.
