Summary of the main political parties’ stances on housing

Conservative Party

• Building Targets: Commit to building 300,000 homes annually by the mid-2020s.
• Home Ownership: Extend the Right to Buy scheme to housing association tenants.
• Planning Reforms: Simplify and accelerate the planning process.
• Affordable Housing: Increase the number of affordable homes in new developments.

Labour Party

• House Building: Pledge to construct 1.5 million new homes over the next decade.
• Renters’ Rights: Introduce rent controls and enhance tenant protections.
• Public Housing: Significantly expand council housing.
• Green Homes: Retrofit existing homes for energy efficiency.

Liberal Democrats

• Housing Supply: Aim for 300,000 new homes per year, including 100,000 social homes.
• First-Time Buyers: Implement rent-to-own schemes.
• Environmental Focus: Ensure new homes are zero-carbon by 2025.
• Empty Homes: Bring vacant homes back into use.

Green Party

• Sustainable Housing: Prioritize building energy-efficient, zero-carbon homes.
• Rent Control: Implement rent controls for affordability.
• Public Housing: Expand social housing stock.
• Community-Led Housing: Support community-led housing initiatives.

SNP (Scottish National Party)

• Affordable Housing: Deliver 110,000 affordable homes by 2032.
• Rent Controls: Introduce a national rent control system.
• Homelessness: Enhance support services to reduce homelessness.
• Energy Efficiency: Focus on energy efficiency improvements for existing homes.

Plaid Cymru

• Welsh Housing: Ensure 50,000 new social and affordable homes in Wales.
• First-Time Buyers: Provide grants and support for first-time buyers.
• Sustainable Homes: Emphasize environmentally friendly construction.
• Renting Sector: Strengthen tenant rights and introduce rent controls.

DUP (Democratic Unionist Party)

• House Building: Increase social and affordable housing in Northern Ireland.
• Home Ownership: Promote first-time buyer assistance schemes.
• Planning System: Reform planning to encourage development.
• Energy Efficiency: Support retrofitting homes for energy efficiency.

Reform Party

• Planning System Review: Fast-track planning and tax incentives for brownfield site development. Implement ‘loose fit planning’ for large residential projects with pre-approved guidelines.
• Social Housing Law Reform: Prioritize housing for local residents and those who have contributed to the system, placing foreign nationals lower on the priority list.
• Scrap Section 24 for Landlords: Repeal the restriction on landlords deducting finance costs and mortgage interest from tax on rental income to encourage small landlords.
• Abolish Renters’ (Reform) Bill: Enhance monitoring and enforcement instead of existing legislation, focusing on addressing bad practices among landlords.
• Leaseholder Protection: Ensure transparency and consent for charges, enforce Section 106 agreements, and make it easier and cheaper to extend leases and buy freeholds.
• Incentivize New Construction Technology: Promote modular construction, digital technology, and efficient building practices to speed up housing development and reduce waste.

Each party’s housing policies reflect their broader political philosophies, from market-driven solutions and homeownership incentives to social housing expansion and tenant protections. The Reform Party emphasizes quick fixes and systemic changes to accelerate housing development and address landlord concerns.