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Eddie HughesEddie Hughes is a Conservative MP and former minister for homelessness and rough sleeping
At the heart of the Conservative vision for housing is homeownership
The Conservative manifesto is set up to help people in all types of housing, but its overriding mission is to restore the dream of homeownership, writes Eddie Hughes
There is no bigger domestic issue in Britain today than housing.
It was my passion before I entered parliament and the issue I have most worked on, and championed, since entering the House of Commons in 2017.
The Conservative manifesto sets out a clear plan to help people in all types of housing – but at the core of the Conservative vision is homeownership.
The dream to own a home has always been at the heart of British society and the Conservative Party prides itself on being the party of aspiration.
It’s an aspiration we know is shared by the vast majority of people.
When asked in a Santander survey, nine in 10 young adults said that they aspired to own their own home, but seven of them believed that the dream of ownership was over for their generation. That’s not fair, that’s not right and it is our responsibility to revitalise this dream.
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Not only have we committed in our manifesto to continue to increase the number of homes being built overall, on top of the 90% increase in homebuilding numbers over the past six years, but we have outlined a number of policies to make that homeownership dream real for many more people.
Often the biggest hurdle to ownership is raising a deposit.
The high cost is locking thousands of would-be owners out of the market.
So we will encourage a new market in long-term fixed-rate mortgages, which will significantly reduce the cost of a deposit, helping first-time buyers get their foot onto the ladder.
“Seven in 10 young people believe that the dream of ownership was over for their generation. That’s not fair, that’s not right and it is our responsibility to revitalise this dream”
Alongside this we are committed to reforming and simplifying shared ownership, or part-buy part-rent housing.
As the chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Shared Ownership in the last parliament, I believe that it’s a tenure with enormous potential to help would-be buyers make the move from renting to ownership.
It allows the prospective buyer to purchase an affordable stake in a property and then build up that stake incrementally at a pace that suits their personal finances.
Not only does this tenure slash the cost of a deposit, but it also unlocks markets that are out of reach for many, while costing the same as the same property would to rent.
It is an aspirational, affordable homeownership tenure and one that the Conservatives should be championing more.
But we recognise that ownership is not for everyone, and the Conservative Party is also creating a fairer deal for renters – both those in social and private housing.
We will bring forward a Social Housing White Paper that will deliver greater empowerment of tenants and make sure the pipeline of new social housing continues.
The Affordable Housing Programme will be renewed. For those in the private rented sector, we will abolish ‘no-fault’ evictions and create a system that requires only one ‘lifetime’ deposit, which will move with the tenant.
This will create a fairer rental market: if you’re a tenant, you will be protected from revenge evictions and rogue landlords, and if you’re one of the many good landlords, we will strengthen your rights of possession.
So whether a renter or a buyer, the Conservatives are on your side.
We have increased new housing numbers in recent years, and that must continue, and at the same time we can make the whole housing market work more fairly for everyone.
Eddie Hughes, Conservative parliamentary candidate for Walsall North
General election 2019: Conservative housing pledges
- To build at least a million homes over the next five years
- To extend the housing association Right to Buy pilot currently being run in the Midlands to other areas
- To renew the Affordable Homes Programme in the Spring Statement
- New “First Homes”, which will be sold at a 30% discount to first-time buyers – apparently modelled on David Cameron’s Starter Homes pledge from 2015
- Continue the roll-out of Universal Credit, but "do more make sure that it works for the most vulnerable"
- To ensure infrastructure, such as GPs and schools, is provided before new housing is built
- To give local communities the power to write design standards
- A continued commitment to Theresa May’s promise to end ‘no-fault’ evictions
- A new market for “lifetime” fixed-rate mortgages, which will come with 5% deposits
- “Lifetime” deposits for the private rented sector, allowing renters to move the same deposit to a new tenancy when moving home
- A Social Housing White Paper, which was originally due in Spring 2019
- To simplify shared ownership by setting a single standard for all housing associations
- An “accelerated” green paper on planning, aimed at speeding up the planning process
- Reforming the Housing Infrastructure Fund to provide greater flexibility to Homes England
