ACUTE NEED FOR HOUSING
The UK is experiencing a significant housing crisis. This challenge has intensified in recent years and is particularly acute in relation to affordable homes. A long-term shortfall in housing delivery has led to increased demand and rising prices, with the average house price in the UK reaching a record high of £377,182 in April 2025. As a result, home ownership is becoming increasingly unattainable for many.
At the same time as a housing crisis, there has been a decline in affordable housing stock. The Right to Buy scheme, inadequate funding and a lack of planning reform have meant that it has become increasingly difficult to build and to buy the affordable homes which are needed across the country.
Homelessness has also reached significant levels. According to the charity Shelter, over 354,000 people were experiencing homelessness in England on a given night in 2024—equating to about 1 in every 160 people. As of 31 March 2024, approximately 1.33 million households were on local authority housing registers in England (commonly known as social housing waiting lists). This represents a 3% increase from the previous year and is the highest figure recorded since 2014.
As buying a home becomes increasingly challenging, and there remains a lack of affordable housing, more people are turning to the private rented sector to meet their housing needs. This has driven growth in the Build to Rent sector, where institutional investors and developers are expanding their portfolios to meet rising demand.
Key stats
1.33 M
HOUSEHOLDS ON LOCAL AUTHORITY HOUSING REGISTERS IN ENGLAND
354 K
PEOPLE ARE CURRENTLY HOMELESS. 161,500 OF THESE ARE CHILDREN