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| Affordable rent measures promised in housing White Paper | Affordable rent measures promised in housing White Paper |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The government is promising a new emphasis on people who rent their homes when it unveils its housing strategy this week. | The government is promising a new emphasis on people who rent their homes when it unveils its housing strategy this week. |
| Housing Minister Gavin Barwell said there would be minimum tenancies and more homes built for rent in a "change of tone" from previous Tory policy. | |
| He said the government had not given up making home ownership available to all. | He said the government had not given up making home ownership available to all. |
| But he added that ministers also had to have "something to say" to renters who were facing unaffordable costs. | But he added that ministers also had to have "something to say" to renters who were facing unaffordable costs. |
| Ministers have previously announced letting agents in England will be banned from charging fees to tenants. | Ministers have previously announced letting agents in England will be banned from charging fees to tenants. |
| Speaking on the BBC's Sunday Politics, Mr Barwell said a package of measures would be in the White Paper due to be published on Tuesday. | Speaking on the BBC's Sunday Politics, Mr Barwell said a package of measures would be in the White Paper due to be published on Tuesday. |
| These will aim to encourage more investment in building homes for affordable rent, which he defined as at least 20% below the market rate, with councils encouraged to get more involved. | |
| 'Broken housing market' | 'Broken housing market' |
| The last Conservative general election manifesto said "everyone who works hard should be able to own a home of their own", and Mr Barwell said the government was still committed to reversing the decline in home ownership. | The last Conservative general election manifesto said "everyone who works hard should be able to own a home of their own", and Mr Barwell said the government was still committed to reversing the decline in home ownership. |
| But he said policies were also needed to support tenants in the private rental market, who are estimated to number about 4.3 million. | |
| "Whether you're trying to buy or you're trying to rent, housing in this country has become less and less affordable because for 30 or 40 years governments have not built enough homes and this White Paper is fundamentally trying to do something about that," he said. | "Whether you're trying to buy or you're trying to rent, housing in this country has become less and less affordable because for 30 or 40 years governments have not built enough homes and this White Paper is fundamentally trying to do something about that," he said. |
| Mr Barwell acknowledged that the most recent figures showing the number of new affordable homes at a 24-year low were "embarrassing", but said this was because they came at the start of a new five-year programme. | |
| And he insisted the government was committed to building one million new homes in England by 2020, despite being "behind schedule". | |
| And he said the government would not make any changes to the current rules on the green belt, which allow building only in "exceptional circumstances". | And he said the government would not make any changes to the current rules on the green belt, which allow building only in "exceptional circumstances". |
| "This idea that we can only fix our broken housing market by taking huge swathes out of the green belt is not true," he added. | "This idea that we can only fix our broken housing market by taking huge swathes out of the green belt is not true," he added. |
| Where can I afford to live? |