More than half of people in England would support the next government borrowing money to build more affordable homes, according to a new survey.
The poll by Ipsos Mori for the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) found 54% of adults in England would be happy with the Government borrowing funds as long as they built more affordable homes for people to buy or rent.
Support was strongest among people living in London, where paying rent can take two thirds of tenant’s incomes.
A fifth (21%) were opposed to backing the government borrowing for affordable housing, while a quarter (24%) were ambivalent.
CIH head of policy, Melanie Rees, said: 'There is a desperate shortage of affordable homes across the country which is being felt by millions of people.
'It’s no surprise that a majority of the public would support the next government borrowing money to build more affordable homes. We need a long-term plan to end the housing crisis in a generation – and the lesson of history is that we have only built the number of homes we need when the government has played a direct and active role.'
Ben Marshall, research director at Ipsos MORI, added: 'Other Ipsos MORI polls have shown the public recognises the housing crisis and wants government action, especially on affordability and supply.'
Marshall noted that support for 'borrow-to-build' could be conditional on its extent and implications.
