Housing costs prevent young people from starting families, says new report

The cost of housing is preventing nearly a quarter of 24-39 year olds from starting a family, new research shows.

Figures from the housing and homelessness charity Shelter and YouGov show prospective parents across the UK are putting off having children because housing is so expensive, with 57 per cent waiting for up to five years to start a family.

The survey also revealed that 16 per cent of people know someone who has moved in with a partner quicker than they would have liked to during the past year, because they could not afford to live alone

One in 10 of those surveyed admitted that they would like to leave their partner, but have not done so because they could not afford another place to live.

Shelter has called on politicians of all parties to commit to building more affordable homes, so that young people have the chance to start a family in a safe and stable home.

The charity describes the situation of Christina and her husband who were forced to move into her parent's house only a year after getting married, due to the high cost of housing. The pair are now considering a house share with another couple, with no plans for a family on the horizon.

Christina said: "Despite the fact that we both have reasonably well-paid jobs, we're stuck with a choice between living with my parents or sharing with others in expensive rentals.

"In our situation the idea of having children seems little more than a pipe dream. It feels almost laughable that we'll ever own our own family home."

Shelter's Chief Executive, Campbell Robb said: "More and more young people are working hard and saving what they can, but still finding themselves unable to afford a stable home to raise a family. Instead they face a lifetime of expensive renting and insecurity, unable to put down roots.

"The only way to give back hope to the priced out generation is for politicians to make a real and lasting commitment to building the affordable homes we desperately need."

David Orr, chief executive of the National Housing Federation said: “In contrast to the baby boomers’ good fortune, our children are set to be the ‘baby doomer’ generation, with opportunities for a good start in life disappearing.

“Our polling of young people underlines the stark reality of their situation and how they feel like they are shouting into a void. They are just not being listened to by government and are left feeling completely ignored, especially when it comes to housing.”

In 2003-04, 59 per cent of households made up of 25 to 34-year-olds were owner occupied compared with 36 per cent a decade later, according to Shelter's research

David Cameron has set out plans to make 200,000 homes available to first-time buyers in England by 2020, if the Conservatives win the general election in May.

Housing Minister Brandon Lewis said: "We're determined that anyone who works hard and wants to get on the property ladder has the help they need to do so.

"That includes the Help to Buy, which enables people to buy with a fraction of the deposit they would normally require and has also boosted house building in response to increased demand.

However, the Help to Buy mortgage guarantee scheme, available across the UK for new-built and existing properties up to £600,000, is to end in 2016. Lenders have warned this could mean a slump in lending to first-time buyers.

[Ekk/4]