Housing affordability is a significant issue in the UK, particularly for young people who struggle to buy homes and often resort to expensive rentals. Many individuals face financial strain from high rent or mortgage payments, impacting their overall well-being and lifestyle choices. Additionally, regulations limit new housing developments, contributing to the problem of numerous empty homes existing alongside a housing shortage.

1. HOUSING AND
COMMUNITIES IN THE UK
BACKGROUND
CONTEXT

2. HOUSING AND COMMUNITIES IN THE UK
Background context
Expensive housing
affects young people in
particular. Young people
find it very difficult to buy
a home. Thirty years ago,
more than half of people
between 20 and 30 years
of age owned a house.
But now under half of
them own a home.
1

3. HOUSING AND COMMUNITIES IN THE UK
Background context
Most young people decide to rent
instead. But this is also very
expensive. The average rent is
about £600 a month, and in some
parts of the UK it is much higher.
Many people spend over half of the
money that they earn from their job
on rent.
2

4. HOUSING AND COMMUNITIES IN THE UK
Background context
4. X
When people decide to
buy a home, they usually
have to take out a large
loan (a mortgage) from a
bank. Some people in
London owe more than £1
million to their bank!
3

5. HOUSING AND COMMUNITIES IN THE UK
Background context
Not everyone can afford a mortgage, because
the bank will only give one to you if you can
show them you earn enough money to be able
to pay them back the very big loan.
4

6. HOUSING AND COMMUNITIES IN THE UK
Background context
When people have to
spend a lot of money on
rent, or on a mortgage, it
can make life very
difficult for them. They
have to spend less on
things like food and
clothes. This can mean
they are not as healthy or
happy as they could be.
5

7. HOUSING AND COMMUNITIES IN THE UK
Background context
Some areas of the UK, such
as Oxford or London, are
much more expensive than
others. Even different parts
of cities cost much more
than other parts.
This means people can’t
choose where to live – they
have to live where they can
afford a home.
6

8. HOUSING AND COMMUNITIES IN THE UK
Background context
Renting is sometimes not
as nice as owning your
own home. Sometimes
people are not sure how
long their landlord – the
person who owns the
house or flat – will let them
keep living there. This can
lead to worry.
Also, sometimes landlords
don’t make their houses
nice for the people who
live there.
Unlike people who own
their own homes, people
who are renting do not
have as much power to
make sure their home is a
nice place to be.
7

9. HOUSING AND COMMUNITIES IN THE UK
Background context
Even though there are not
enough homes to go
around in the UK, you can’t
simply build more. There
are rules about where you
can build homes, and what
they can look like. For
example you are not
allowed to build a gigantic
building in the middle of
Hyde Park, even if you can
afford to, because the
government has made it
illegal to build anything in
Hyde Park.
Often you cannot build very
modern-looking buildings
in old villages. This is
because the government
wants the village to look
nice, or it wants to protect
that village’s history and
culture.
8

10. HOUSING AND COMMUNITIES IN THE UK
Background context
There are around
19 million empty
bedrooms in
England. Some
people think this is
a waste, because
many people have
a home that’s
bigger than they
need when so
many others don’t
have a place to live
at all.
9

11. HOUSING AND COMMUNITIES IN THE UK
Background context
There are a large number
of homes that are empty in
the UK. Sometimes people
who already have a place
to live buy an extra house
or flat so they can make
money by selling it for
more later on, and they
choose to leave it empty.
Or sometimes these
homes may be in places
where people do not want
to live anymore.
Lots of these houses are
in very bad condition.
10