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2015 UK Housing Review

Posted on 31 July 2015

Key information on housing statistics for England (and its regions), Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland

Professor Steve Wilcox together with John Perry and Peter Williams have produced the 2015 compilation of statistical data on housing for the UK teh 23rd edition of the UK Housing Review. The Review covers both public and private housing. It draws on a wide range of expenditure plans and departmental reports, as well as official or other statistical volumes, survey reports, web portals and publications based on specific research projects. The Review also includes a number of tables constructed from databases that are not routinely published elsewhere.

briefing paper, steve wilcox

A Briefing Paper is also available to download from the Chartered Institute of Housing. It updates key issues and data from the full review and concentrates on these themes:

  • Challenges of the new government agenda
  • The economy, public spending and wealth distribution
  • Demographics and housing supply
  • House prices and mortgages
  • Right to buy
  • The private housing market
  • Affordable housing supply
  • Homelessness
  • Welfare reform
  • Prospects for more devolution

Policy implications of current trends

Using data from the UK Housing Report, Steve Wilcox recently estimated that only two-thirds of 60 year olds will own their own home within 35 years. At present most pensioners retire mortgage-free or with only a few thousand left to pay and intend to use the equity in their house to pay for social care if they need it. In the future if they are only renting then this cost will fall on the State. Similarly the impact on housing benefit costs of retired people renting is also a future worry that the Government will need to address now to prvent future problems.