The UK Housing situation – I ask Janice Atkinson MEP
I totally get that the Brexit vote has caused a great divide throughout the country, that some are pro immigration and others want closed borders, some love Nigel Farage and others absolutely loathe him, but in the middle of all this Leave or Remain debate where exactly are we with UK housing today?
London property prices have rocketed in all areas, even the somewhat lesser desired locations such as Dagenham, where I used to live close to have have many friends, will see standard two/three bedroom ex council property reaching £300,000 and above… Oh the glamour these days to be just a few minutes walk from a tube station!
What about social housing? Well since the introduction of right to buy back in 1980 it shows approximately 300,000 social homes being sold off by councils whereas to replace them only around 60,000 new homes have been built under the social rent scheme (quotes from Independent.co.uk)
I am very interested in the housing situation of the UK and especially the affordability of property for our younger generations across the UK, from my point of view it appears that the current younger generation is being caught in a trap of paying off for other generations that the government have no funds to support along with increased immigration in to the country.
I enjoy listening to and reading the comments from Russell Quirk the Founder and CEO of Emoov who in most occasions speaks with knowledge on current and past house price situations, one such article back in March 2017 referred to average property prices from 1960’s compared to current:
Following an article on The Express website on Coronation Street’s property:
“Ken Barlow is the longest serving character in the world’s longest running soap opera and when he first appeared in 1960 his Weatherfield terrace would have cost just £1,614.
Today it would be worth £142,759, a jump of 8,746 per cent and by far the biggest percentage jump of any of those in the table.“
For sure we see growth in value and inflation taking property prices upwards, but are we at a point that UK property is currently maxed out? Are property a money making scheme only? Are the days that the flat or house we buy is our home over than being just an asset / burden? Are we in fact working to just pay for a roof over our heads instead of working to enjoy our lives? OK in recent months in appears that London prices are cooling down and some areas showing drops, but other cities around England such as Manchester are racing ahead and calling out for investors / landlords to throw their money in to buy to lets…
Janice Atkinson – UK Housing Interview 2018
Anyway, let me start my round of interviews with MPs and MEPs on UK housing first here with Janice Atkinson who is Vice President (UK Delegation), Europe of Nations and Freedom Group:
What are you thoughts towards the current UK housing situation and the immigration figures that we are seeing prior to Brexit being enforced (be it a soft or hard Brexit)?
The housing minister, Dominic Raab, said immigrants had accounted for a 20% rise in house prices in the past 25 years. Here is a fact to highlight.
We need to look at facts such as the non-UK born population between 1991-2016 grew by 4.8 million.
In 2017, 150,000 homes were built in Britain, yet 246,00 (officially) arrived here from March 2016. Out population from births and immigration is growing by half a million a year.
Are house prices effected by this?
A House of Lords report on immigration concluded that a net migration of 190,000 a year increased housing costs by 13 per cent over 20 years.
The forecast of another 10 million in population growth over the next 25 years is huge and completely unsustainable. As many as 1.7 million births in the UK between now and 2039 are projected to be to foreign born mothers.
Is there a remedy and what is the long term effect on current statistics?
We need to build a new house every four minutes, days and nights, just to cope with the current numbers.
It is not only our housing, greenbelt and spaces that suffer through uncontrolled population growth but our schools, roads and NHS.
Disclaimer on Janice Atkinson’s comments:
Views or opinions expressed should not be regarded as, and are not intended to be, legal or other advice and are solely those of the author, they are not intended for publication and do not necessarily represent those of the ENF Group.
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