Affordable housing supply drops 4% over 2011-12

Published by 24publishing for 24dash.com in Housing and also in Central Government, Development

The amount of affordable homes supplied in England during 2011-12 decreased by 4% against 2010-11's figures.

Homes provided for social rent also took a tumble with 37,540 made available in 2011-12, a 3% drop on 2010-11's output.

In total 57,950 homes were supplied for affordable rent in 2011-12, compared to 2010-11's 60,430.

Elsewhere, homes provided through intermediate housing schemes - including shared ownership and shared equity - saw a sharp 10% drop on 2010-11, with only 19,490 produced.

The latest period also saw a drop in the amount of affordable homes that were in receipt of funding from the Homes and Communities Agency - a reduction from 92% in 2010-11 to 88% in 2011-12.

Labour’s Shadow Housing Minister, Jack Dromey, responded by saying that the figures would be of no comfort to those people looking to rent or buy at a price they can afford. He said: “As a direct result of George Osborne’s cut of £4 billion for new affordable homes we have seen affordable house building in decline. Rather than taking real action, all we see from this Government is half-baked scheme after scheme, re-branded, re-packaged and re-press released. We have a housing crisis and this complacent approach cannot continue.

“We need a country where everyone has a decent home at a price they can afford. That is why Labour has said we would take urgent action and use the windfall from the sale of the 4G spectrum to build 100,000 more affordable homes, strengthen and sustain economic recovery and create hundreds of thousands of jobs.”