A think-tank representing local authorities in the capital has called for a separate housing policy focusing on London and the South East in order to deal with the housing crisis.
According to an Ipsos MORI poll for London Councils, over 88% of Londoners asked believe that the capital is facing a housing crisis, while 54% said it was the most important issue facing Britain today, ahead of the economy and the NHS.
The figures are in stark contrast to the rest of the country, where housing is seen as only the fifth most important issue.
Over half (54%) of those questioned in London said the cost of housing had caused them a ‘fair amount’ of stress. For those renting things have had an even greater impact, with 75% of those in this sector saying they had ‘a fair amount or a great deal’ of stress.
London Councils said that should the private renting sector become increasingly unaffordable, existing tenancies could be destabilised, leading to an increase in homelessness. It called for a separate London housing policy to help deal with the scale of the housing crisis.
Mayor Sir Steve Bullock, executive member for housing at London Councils, said: “The government needs to listen to Londoners and understand that when it comes to housing, it’s different for London. This is an issue which is already grinding down the quality of life for people from a wide range of backgrounds and threatens to undermine the economic growth of the capital.
”It is clear that we now need a separate housing policy focusing on London and the South East. The government must respond to this urgently.”
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