'Defining and measuring housing affordability - an alternative approach' report published today by the AHC
Friday 7th of June 2019
The Affordable Housing Commission (AHC), chaired by Lord Best, has today published its latest report on ‘Defining and measuring housing affordability – an alternative approach’.
Drawing on the Affordable Housing Commission’s research and recent call for evidence, the report reveals that 4.8 million households in England are facing ‘grave’ affordability problems. This represents over one in five (21%) of all households and almost 40% of those in the lower half of income distribution.
The new definition and measures of affordability (covering struggling renters, low income older households, struggling homeowners and frustrated first time buyers), focuses on what people can actually afford. As such it offers a clear alternative to the current ‘Affordable Rent’ model, which misleadingly relies on market rents and house prices.
This alternative approach places affordability at the heart of ‘fixing our broken housing market’ and will help planners and policy makers deliver increased levels of affordable housing in different areas, for different people.
The Affordable Housing Commission has also published two other reports: on its focus group findings among struggling renters ‘Public views on unaffordable housing’ and a literature review ‘Why is housing unaffordable?’.
Over the coming months the Commission will be working on solutions to the affordable housing crisis.
If you want to engage with the work or find out more about what they do please visit their website: https://www.affordablehousingcommission.org/