Unaffordable Housing

May 7, 2015

According to a new report from Shelter, many first-time buyers (FTBs) are finding themselves locked out of the housing market because of affordability issues, with many being placed under increasing financial pressure in order to buy their own homes.

As a result of this the  union UNISON is asking  the Government to provide more help with homeownership, and is calling for stamp duty to be abolished for FTBs. Sylvia Jones from UNISON is reported as saying “Housing affordability remains a major problem for many people, particularly first-time buyers, looking for a home to buy, the housing affordability crisis has been compounded by the lack of social housing and finance for home ownership, and the crisis requires a wide range of solutions to tackle it.

This follows research from Your Move and Reeds Rains, which found that there was a sharp fall in first-time buyer transactions during the first three months of this year.

Allen Walkey

Highly experienced businessman with a successful career in property sales and investment both in the UK and abroad. Now a freelance writer and blogger for the property and Investment Industry, keeping readers up-to-date with changes and events in a rapidly changing world.

You May Also Enjoy

bank of england interest rate
Breaking News

Bank of England holds interest rates at 3.75%

The Bank of England has announced its decision to hold the base rate at 3.75%. This decision comes as a result of wider economic uncertainty and inflation (CPI) increasing to 3.3% in March and remaining above the Bank’s 2.0% target. Here are some thoughts from within the property industry.   Matt Smith, Rightmove’s mortgage expert…
Read More →
Rightmove logo
Breaking News

Property valuation leads to agents up 55%

Rightmove, the UK’s largest property portal, has reported a 55% year-to-date uplift in property valuation leads for agents compared with the same period last year (January – May). The uplift follows the launch of Online Agent Valuation in late 2025, designed to help agents engage more effectively with prospective sellers, alongside a series of AI enhancements across Rightmove’s valuation tools. Online Agent Valuation connects agents with motivated homeowners who choose to begin their selling journey…
Read More →
Breaking News

Britain’s equestrian homes average value of £1.3m

South East accounts for one in five opportunities The latest research from LandSale, the property portal dedicated to land and rural property, has found that those inspired to enter the equestrian world following Royal Ascot this week will need a budget of £1.265m in order to get started, with the South East home to the…
Read More →
Breaking News

Interest-only mortgage stock reduces by 17 per cent in 2025

Key points: There were 445,000 pure interest-only homeowner mortgages outstanding at the end of 2025, 17.7 per cent fewer than in 2024. In addition there were 156,000 partial interest-only (part and part) homeowner mortgages outstanding at the end of 2025, 10.3 per cent fewer than in 2024. The total interest-only mortgage stock (including part and…
Read More →
Breaking News

5 building materials that give home sellers nightmares

The latest market insight from House Buyer Bureau has highlighted five building materials that can be a nightmare for homeowners, as they severely impact a property’s value, make it difficult to mortgage, and can prevent them from securing a buyer. House Buyer Bureau analysed some of the most problematic building materials found within UK homes,…
Read More →
Breaking News

UK House Price Index for April 2026

The latest UK House Price Index for April 2026 shows that: The average monthly rate of UK house price growth in April was +0.7%. Average UK house price annual inflation was 3.8% in the 12 months to April 2026. As a result, the average UK house price currently sits at £270,080.   Here is how…
Read More →