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| Housing starts at six-year high, but completions fall | Housing starts at six-year high, but completions fall |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The number of new houses being built in England last year was the highest for six years, government figures show. | |
| In total, 122,590 homes were started, the largest number since 2007, and a rise of 23% on the previous year. | In total, 122,590 homes were started, the largest number since 2007, and a rise of 23% on the previous year. |
| However the number of homes completed, 109,370, was the lowest since 2010, and a fall of 5% on 2012. | However the number of homes completed, 109,370, was the lowest since 2010, and a fall of 5% on 2012. |
| Of those built, nearly 13,000 were sold under the government's Help to Buy equity loan scheme, which began in April 2013. | Of those built, nearly 13,000 were sold under the government's Help to Buy equity loan scheme, which began in April 2013. |
| The figures were published by the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG). | |
| The number of homes being built in the UK is still well below its all-time high, which was 425,000 in 1968. | The number of homes being built in the UK is still well below its all-time high, which was 425,000 in 1968. |
| 'Woeful gap' | 'Woeful gap' |
| Housing charity Shelter welcomed what it called the "uptick" in house-building, but said the country was still building less than half of the 250,000 homes a year it needs. | |
| "With thousands of young people and families already beginning to give up hope that they will ever be able to afford a home of their own, this woeful gap between the homes we need and the homes we have spells disaster for future generations," said Campbell Robb, Shelter's chief executive. | "With thousands of young people and families already beginning to give up hope that they will ever be able to afford a home of their own, this woeful gap between the homes we need and the homes we have spells disaster for future generations," said Campbell Robb, Shelter's chief executive. |
| Last month, Prime Minister David Cameron clashed with Labour leader Ed Miliband in the House of Commons over the number of new homes being built. | Last month, Prime Minister David Cameron clashed with Labour leader Ed Miliband in the House of Commons over the number of new homes being built. |
| Mr Miliband said the number of housing completions was at its lowest since 1924. | Mr Miliband said the number of housing completions was at its lowest since 1924. |
| But Mr Cameron said the number of housing starts was at its highest for five years. | But Mr Cameron said the number of housing starts was at its highest for five years. |
| Slow process | |
| Typically there is a time lag of up to a year between housing starts and completions - the time it takes to buy land, get planning permission, and build a house. | |
| As a result the industry said the rise in housing starts in 2013 would feed through to a "significant jump" in completions later this year. | |
| "Like an oil tanker, house-building is not something you can turn around quickly," said John Stewart, the chief economist at the Home Builders Federation. | |
| Most of the UK's big building firms are promising to expand construction significantly in the year ahead, partly as a result of the government's Help to Buy scheme. | |
| "We aim to open 170 new sites this year," said Jeff Fairburn, the chief executive of housebuilding firm Persimmon. | |
| The first phase of Help to Buy, under which buyers take out a shared-equity loan from the government, began in April 2013. | |
| The second phase, in which the government guarantees part of a mortgage loan, began in October. |