On 4 July in 2024, Labour received a landslide election to kind a authorities. From the offset, it grew to become clear that housing can be a giant coverage space. Now, one yr on from that momentous win, we wished to try the housing market at the moment to see the way it’s been impacted by the Labour authorities and the way they’re measuring as much as their pledges.

The housing market

Knowledge from the UK Land Registry exhibits that the typical UK home worth in July 2024 stood at £290,000. By April 2025, when the most recent knowledge was launched, and costs seem to have fallen to £265,000. Many will put this right down to the top of the Stamp Obligation Land Tax vacation on the finish of March. This coverage meant Stamp Obligation can be launched at a cheaper price threshold, due to this fact growing the variety of properties which might turn out to be liable to the tax. Shifting ahead, it will likely be attention-grabbing to see if this worth drop is a short-term response or turns into a extra sustained affect.

Encouragingly for a lot of patrons, rates of interest have continued to fall for the reason that election in 2024. When Labour had been elected, the Financial institution of England charge was 5.25% whereas the present charge stands a full share level decrease at 4.25%. This might be seen as a optimistic for patrons and people with a mortgage, with borrowing set to be cheaper compared to this time final yr.

Maybe on account of a mix of decrease home costs and falling rates of interest, the variety of transactions, in response to authorities knowledge, seen in Might 2025 (the newest knowledge), has elevated considerably compared to the month earlier than. Whereas April noticed 65,110 transactions, Might noticed a rise of 25% to 81,470. Nevertheless, it is very important notice a lower of 12% within the variety of transactions when comparability is made to Might 2024, earlier than the Labour authorities got here to energy. This year-on-year fall could also be as a result of ongoing results of the top of stamp obligation vacation, with sellers needing additional rate of interest drops to encourage extra market exercise.

When trying on the housing market as an entire, we see blended responses to the Labour authorities’s yr in energy. However how have their housing-specific insurance policies been acquired by the sector and are they on plan?

1.5 million new houses

In a big announcement final yr made with nice fanfare, the federal government introduced a dedication to construct 1.5 million new houses by the top of their present Parliament in 2029. The response was blended, whereas some raised issues about the place these houses will go, others celebrated the constructing of a lot wanted housing. However how shut are they to hitting this goal? Estimates differ.

In accordance with a authorities report revealed on 20 Might, Houses England has surpassed its 2024/25 annual targets for the variety of new houses began (greater than 36,000), the variety of new houses accomplished (38,000) and the variety of potential houses unlocked (79,000). All of those figures noticed will increase compared to 2023/24.

Nevertheless, in their newest forecast, Savills anticipate the supply of housing to fall considerably. They anticipate to see 840,000 new houses constructed within the 5 years to 2028/29. This may depart the ultimate determine 42% decrease than the general goal. Savills notice the autumn in planning consents over the past three years and the necessity for endurance concerning the Planning and Infrastructure Invoice.

Planning and Infrastructure Invoice

This laws was introduced together with the 1.5 million new houses pledge to elucidate how this a lot greater determine could possibly be achieved. By reforming the planning system, the purpose is to make it simpler and faster for planning permission to be granted, due to this fact encouraging extra constructing. This may embody the reintroduction of necessary housing targets for councils, opening up ‘brownfield’ and ‘grey-belt’ land, and introducing golden guidelines for inexperienced belt of land, i.e. together with a sure variety of reasonably priced or social properties and offering the mandatory enhancements to native infrastructure.

The invoice is at the moment going by a second studying within the Home of Lords, having handed by the Commons. Whereas some assist the updates to the planning system and opening up of land, many issues concerning the invoice have been raised. Issues embody a concern that it might bypass native democracy by undermining the function performed by planning committees, the sharp improve in housing targets in rural areas with insufficient infrastructure and a scarcity of expert workforce to construct the brand new properties.

The invoice continues to be mentioned and will likely be put to the King to be made legislation as soon as all amendments have been made.

Renters’ Rights Invoice

Our newest Property Sentiment Index confirmed a small proportion of the UK public know rather a lot or a good quantity (30%) concerning the Renters’ Rights Invoice, regardless of 48% of these surveyed at the moment renting the house they dwell in.

The invoice intends to enhance the present non-public rental system, giving renters extra safety and stability. Key components embody:

Eradicating landlords’ capacity to evict a tenant with out purpose.
Give tenants a strengthened proper to having pets within the property.
Apply the Respectable Houses Commonplace to the non-public rented sector.
Make it unlawful for landlords to discriminate in opposition to potential tenants on account of components like having kids.
Guarantee landlords don’t improve rents above the extent of inflation.

Whereas renters could welcome the elevated protections, landlords warn that stricter laws and hire controls might discourage funding within the sector. Some have already indicated plans to exit the market, which might scale back rental provide and put upward strain on rents.

Conclusion

One yr on, Labour has made housing a transparent coverage precedence—backed by important monetary commitments and bold laws. Public and business responses stay divided, and it stays to be seen whether or not Labour can meet its goal of 1.5 million new houses by 2029.

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