Much to do about (almost) everything: The new Labour government and the unfolding housing crisis.

Housing has long been perceived as a key social policy issue in England, with the power to make or break political fortunes. The public has come to understand and conceptualise the mix of current problems as ‘the housing crisis’. This reflects a myriad of issues relating to poor affordability, the undersupply of new homes, high levels of homelessness, substandard housing conditions and energy inefficiency. These are problems that exist within wider socio-economic pressures arising from dwindling real incomes and the heightened cost of living. Some argue that radical solutions are needed, but adherence to existing fiscal rules, the intransigence of current structures of housing provision, and a decade of low investment makes radicalism unlikely. The three main political parties in England thus approached the 2024 General Election with broad similarities in their policy programmes. In this article we reflect on the role housing played in the 2024 General Election and what impact the Labour government is likely to have on housing policy – and housing-related outcomes. We also set out specific policy agendas, that need to carry greater weight in future policy development, if the UK government is serious about confronting the housing crisis.