Wednesday, 12 December 2012

Home truths


Wales is still a nation of homeowners, even more so than England, according to the census. The explanation, as a nation we’re a lot older than England and have made those life long purchases in better economic times. 


For those that like the facts in Wales 879,000(67%) of the population own their home as opposed to 14.0 million (63%) in England. 

The younger generation are finding it difficult to copy their parents and access ownership. 
Short term contracts, low wages and high levels of youth unemployment make getting a mortgage particularly difficult. 

 Traditionally, such groups would look for a council house. But now that’s no longer an option.

In the 2001 census 166,000(14%) of the population rented from the council. Today, the figure has declined to 128,000(10%).  

 So where are today’s generation finding homes? Well, in the private sector. This sector has grown five percentage points. Now 165,000(13%) homes are rented from private landlords.

With the changes that are happening to housing benefit there is every likelihood that many living in this sector will not be able to pay their rents, and many will find themselves in great difficulty. 

 You don't have to be Mystic Meg to predict that next year will see homelessness on the increase as benefit cuts bite. If rents are unpaid, eviction follow. Result, homelessness.

 A bleak new year beckons many.  
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5 comments:

  1. SteveY12 December 2012 at 15:30

    Think Pink, the Good News is that it means more work for Mrs Gareth.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous12 December 2012 at 19:18

    I'm sure that house you show in Hirael is a suitable example. The area is virtually occupied by short term inhabitants who rent, now.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous12 December 2012 at 19:37

    But in theory, if housing benefit is the one thing that's keeping large amounts of people in private sector accommodation, then the removal of it should see rents fall. This should also occur in practice.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous13 December 2012 at 10:52

    Gareth - why are Labour pushing local authorities to build up to 330,000 new homes = 1 million people in Wales?

    In light of the census returns it's going to make Wales a wasteland for the Welsh language.

    + where's the boom in children being born or factories being built to justify this?

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anonymous17 December 2012 at 13:27

    "Viewed thus Housing Benefit is less a welfare program than a national industry, operating on the scale of value-added giants like automobile manufacturing (£54bn) or defence (£45bn) and capable of distorting the market to the detriment of the working taxpayer. As a component of income allocated towards housing, Housing Benefit has long outstripped private wages. As a subsidy it disrupts the supply of property for private renters, providing what is in effect a national minimum rent while driving up rents for non-beneficiaries in the process, thus striking the propertyless taxpayer from three directions." Adam Smith Institute. Difficult to argue against this.

    ReplyDelete

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