ROOF Blog

Shocking new research released by Shelter shows that people are being forced to delay having children because of the lack of affordable housing. The research reveals that 18 per cent of 18–44 year olds, equivalent to 2.4 million people nationwide, are actively putting off having children because of high housing costs. This rises to 24 per cent among 18-34 year olds. The figures come from a survey commissioned by Shelter to discover the impact of the lack of affordable housing across all areas of people’s lives. In particular, the research examines the impact on relationships and family life.

Hundreds of England’s village churches could be revived and up to 10,000 affordable homes built for local families – if churches sold land and buildings to housing associations, according to research by the National Housing Federation. The Federation believes that with the Church of England owning an average of eight acres of land per Anglican village church, in addition to parsonages and church halls, every rural place of worship could deliver an average of one new affordable home. Federation chief executive David Orr said: ‘By making land available for housing, rural churches would increase their chances of survival and also help meet local housing need.’

Shelter has launched new research showing how the lack of affordable homes in Britain is forcing couples who have split to remain living together. In our survey, nearly a quarter of people – the equivalent of 9.9 million adults - said they or someone they know have had to stay living with their partner because they cannot afford to live on their own. The figures come from new research undertaken by the charity to examine the way unaffordable housing is changing the way we live. Kay Boycott, director of policy and campaigns at Shelter said: ‘As a nation we have accepted the way housing costs have risen hugely over the last few years, but are we ready to accept the human cost this brings?’

New research has highlighted that only half of households facing repossession orders actually attend their court hearings. There is also an indication that repossessions are not being considered the option of last resort by the courts. The research, undertaken by CIH’s consultancy arm, ConsultCIH, looked at hundreds of repossession orders made in 2008. The research found that many households are in denial about losing their homes. Conversely, others believe the loss of their home is a foregone conclusion by the time their case gets to court.

Research from the Office for National Statistics shows that almost one in five graduates in their late twenties now live with their parents.

By contrast, only one in eight university graduates had failed to fly the nest by the same age 20 years ago.

Rising property prices, mounting student debts and the effects of recession on the job market have forced a wave of young people to move back into the family home at an age when they would normally be moving out.

The research suggests that young people in Britain are twice as likely to live with their parents in their late twenties than their counterparts elsewhere in Europe.

The economy shrank by 0.4 per cent in the three months to the end of October, an unchanged rate of contraction from the third quarter, the National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR) has estimated.

The projection of continued weakness came after official figures showed that industrial production in September had picked up after factory stoppages caused a sharp fall in output during the summer, but there were no signs yet of a sustained upturn.

NIESR director Martin Weale, said: ‘People have been hoping for a clear recovery and that isn’t visible yet. The past pattern doesn’t lead us to think there has been a strong turnround.’

Mr Weale foresees the economy bouncing along the bottom at depressed levels of output for some time, even if spending brought forward to the fourth quarter to avoid the hike in VAT rates early next year provides a modest boost to growth in the short term.