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| Housing market broken, ministers say ahead of White Paper | Housing market broken, ministers say ahead of White Paper |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| England's housing market is "broken", the government has said, as it unveiled plans for more affordable homes. | |
| The new housing strategy for England includes forcing councils to plan for their own needs and giving them powers to pressurise developers to start building on land they own. | |
| Communities Secretary Sajid Javid said people want a decent home, not a "false choice" between renting and owning. | |
| Labour called the measures announced "feeble beyond belief". | |
| The government says at least 250,000 new homes are needed each year to keep pace with demand and local councils and developers need to "get real" to the scale of the challenge. | The government says at least 250,000 new homes are needed each year to keep pace with demand and local councils and developers need to "get real" to the scale of the challenge. |
| Mr Javid set out the details of the housing White Paper in a statement to MPs, with measures including: | |
| So-called starter homes, championed by former Prime Minister David Cameron, will be aimed at "households that need them most", with combined incomes of less than £80,000, or £90,000 in London. | |
| The government said there would be a change in focus from starter homes - which will be offered to first-time buyers at a discount - to "a wider range of affordable housing". | The government said there would be a change in focus from starter homes - which will be offered to first-time buyers at a discount - to "a wider range of affordable housing". |
| The 22-year-olds who bought their own home (without mum and dad's help) | The 22-year-olds who bought their own home (without mum and dad's help) |
| Ruby Willard, a recruitment consultant, and engineer Sam Bardell bought a £182,200 two-bedroom terraced house in Havant, Hampshire, last year. | Ruby Willard, a recruitment consultant, and engineer Sam Bardell bought a £182,200 two-bedroom terraced house in Havant, Hampshire, last year. |
| They took advantage of the government's Help to Buy Isa, but to save for the £18,000 deposit, it was a case of being "quite tight", she says. | They took advantage of the government's Help to Buy Isa, but to save for the £18,000 deposit, it was a case of being "quite tight", she says. |
| "When we decided we were going to buy, I thought I'm not going to spend money elsewhere when I don't need to... | "When we decided we were going to buy, I thought I'm not going to spend money elsewhere when I don't need to... |
| "I get commission and Sam gets overtime so we probably earn £55,000 overall, which meant we were in a position we could borrow maybe more than people on minimum wage." | "I get commission and Sam gets overtime so we probably earn £55,000 overall, which meant we were in a position we could borrow maybe more than people on minimum wage." |
| Read how other 20-somethings managed to do it | Read how other 20-somethings managed to do it |
| Mr Javid said: "Walk down your local high street today and there's one sight you're almost certain to see. Young people, faces pressed against the estate agent's window, trying and failing to find a home they can afford. | |
| "With prices continuing to skyrocket, if we don't act now, a whole generation could be left behind. We need to do better, and that means tackling the failures at every point in the system. | "With prices continuing to skyrocket, if we don't act now, a whole generation could be left behind. We need to do better, and that means tackling the failures at every point in the system. |
| "The housing market in this country is broken and the solution means building many more houses in the places that people want to live." | "The housing market in this country is broken and the solution means building many more houses in the places that people want to live." |
| Mr Javid admitted there was "no one single magic bullet" and there had to be a "proper conversation about housing need". | |
| Ministers have admitted the government is behind schedule in its efforts to build one million new homes in England by 2020. | Ministers have admitted the government is behind schedule in its efforts to build one million new homes in England by 2020. |
| For Labour, shadow housing minister John Healey said: "We hoped for better and we needed better. His disappointment will desperately disappoint millions of people struggling to cope with a housing crisis. It was feeble beyond belief." | |
| He added: "We were promised a White Paper; we are presented with a white flag." | |
| The Campaign to Protect Rural England welcomed what it said was a focus on addressing current failings rather than "meddling" with the planning system. | The Campaign to Protect Rural England welcomed what it said was a focus on addressing current failings rather than "meddling" with the planning system. |
| "We are pleased that ministers have recognised that weakening the Green Belt is unnecessary," said chief executive Shaun Spiers. "But with 360,000 houses already proposed for Green Belt land the government needs to do much more to uphold national policy and stop councils releasing it for development." | "We are pleased that ministers have recognised that weakening the Green Belt is unnecessary," said chief executive Shaun Spiers. "But with 360,000 houses already proposed for Green Belt land the government needs to do much more to uphold national policy and stop councils releasing it for development." |
| Where can I afford to live? | Where can I afford to live? |
| Do you feel the need to get on the housing ladder or are you happy to rent? Or are you looking to downsize after living in your family home for several years? Tell us your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk | Do you feel the need to get on the housing ladder or are you happy to rent? Or are you looking to downsize after living in your family home for several years? Tell us your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk |
| You can also contact us in the following ways: | You can also contact us in the following ways: |
| Or use the form below | Or use the form below |