Government's social housing investment will help housing 'crisis'
Chancellor Rachel Reeves has announced ÂŁ39 billion for social housing in England over the next 10 years
A leading planning consultant from Kent has told us the UK is an 'housing crisis', welcoming the government's investment in social housing.
Yesterday, Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced ÂŁ39 billion for social housing in England over the next ten years.
It means ÂŁ3.9bn year will go towards social housing, increasing from ÂŁ2.3billion.
Matthew Woodhead is the Director of DHA Planning - the largest consultancy in the south east.
He explains why it's so difficult for the housing industry, he said: "The biggest issue facing us at the moment is an acute lack of affordable housing.
"The demand and need for social housing is far greater than the supply and there a many reasons for that, all of them revolve around funding.
"However, this is the biggest announcement in money for affordable housing that I have known in my career, and it's much needed because proper and decent housing is a basic human right."
'The price of rent is crazy'
Neil Charlick is from charity, Gillingham Street Angels, and welcomes the funding increase, he said: "Rent is so expensive now, to rent a house is a crazy amount of money.
"If you're family, to rent a three bedroom house in Medway could cost you between ÂŁ1,000 to ÂŁ1,5000 - the normal person just doesn't earn that amount of money."