Making a house a home: Why policy must focus on the ownership and distribution of housing

This briefing sets out the argument underpinning a new area of work at JRF, around ownership and distribution of homes in the English housing market. It suggests proposals for reform, and highlights areas we want to explore.

Key ideas:

• We need to set policy which works to create a smaller, higher quality, and better managed private rented sector, which meets the needs of people seeking flexibility, while rejecting the notion that private renting can be a home for such a large portion of the population.
• We must develop policies which proactively shape the market and offer ways for households to move from private renting to homeownership or a sub-market housing option.
• We should look to support households for whom homeownership is not feasible or desirable to sustainably build wealth.
• We must ensure that the transition to a smaller private rented sector is managed equitably, with a particular regard for renters on lower incomes.

We'd love to hear your thoughts and feedback on this, please contact: darren.baxter@jrf.org.uk