“If the Government talked less about markets and more about families, they might not be having such a rough ride with their planning reforms.” – Michael Trend, Executive Director
As Grant Shapps launches the housing strategy, Relationships Foundation asks why the Government is so coy about families.
‘First-time buyers’ seems to be the focus-group tested phrase to roll with: neither in the Departmental Press Release nor in Minister Grant Shapps’ interview on the Today programme, were families mentioned.
David Cameron is trying to darn our social fabric, and housing is a major thread. Relationships Foundation’s Pressure Gauge found that housing costs were one of the major contributors to the UK being the least family friendly country in Europe.
Ministers might respond that, whilst they are not foregrounding families in their media plan, the strategy itself is very family focused.
In their foreword the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister note “For decades in Britain we have under-built…costing jobs; forcing growing families to live in cramped conditions; leaving young people without much hope that they will ever own a home of their own.”
The relational issues in the housing market are spelt out: “People need to find housing in the right place – enabling them to find work, to maintain contacts with friends and family, and often to provide care.”
The lack of ‘family housing’ is addressed in planning reforms. Additionally the strategy boldly, and rightly, says “For some older people a move to a smaller, more accessible and manageable home can also free up much-needed local family housing.”
But in the ‘policy impact’ appendix, there is no exploration of the impact on families – no family test.
The report oddly assumes people either have children or don’t: it makes no mention of the transition. This is despite Shelter’s finding in January 2010, that more than two million Britons are being forced to delay having children due to the high cost of housing. But if they are being coy about families, it is unsurprising that they are silent on where babies come from.
Commenting, Michael Trend, Executive Director of the Relationships Foundation said:
“Over the Summer David Cameron responded to our call for a ‘family test’ on all policy, and pledged to establish it.”
“Why then are the Government so coy about putting families at the heart of housing strategy? And why do they neglect the twenty-somethings who want to start a family?”
“If the Government talked less about markets and more about families, they might not be having such a rough ride with their planning reforms.”
For further information, please contact:
j.ashcroft@relationshipsfoundation-org.stackstaging.com or call 01223 341 290