Jonathan Hulley, Twickenham Conservatives’ Parliamentary Spokesperson, has written for ConservativeHome warning that Labour’s Autumn Budget risks making Britain’s housing crisis worse.
In his article, Jonathan argues that Rachel Reeves’ Budget has placed significant new costs on the construction and housebuilding industries at the very time Britain needs to build more homes. He points to the increase in employer National Insurance, higher wage costs and additional pressure on contractors as measures that could make it harder for the sector to deliver the homes the country needs.
Jonathan warns that these cost increases could push home ownership further out of reach, particularly for younger people and first-time buyers. He also criticises the absence of new support for first-time buyers, arguing that this leaves families facing high borrowing costs, rising rents and limited routes onto the housing ladder.
Drawing on his experience as a leading social housing lawyer, Jonathan also highlights the pressure on affordable housing. While the Budget included extra funding for the Affordable Homes Programme, he argues that this is outweighed by wider cost pressures and uncertainty over future funding.
Jonathan proposes a more practical approach to getting Britain building again, including a longer-term rent settlement for housing providers and better access to long-term, affordable finance for the construction and housebuilding sectors.
You can read Jonathan’s full ConservativeHome article here: Jonathan Hulley: Labour’s budget was a £3bn blow to Britain’s housing ambitions
