Census Reveals Housing Shortage

According to the census, the number of households in England and Wales was 23.4 million in 2011, an increase of 1.7 million since 2001. The Office for National Statistics (ONS), which released the data, said that the 7.5 per cent growth was the second-lowest increase in 100 years.  The figures came as the population of England and Wales saw its biggest surge since records began - by 4 million to 56.1 million in the decade to 2011. Shelter, the housing charity, said that not enough houses are being built to cope with the demands of the growing population and that high rents are deterring young people from leaving their parents’ home.  Earlier this year the English Housing Survey found that home ownership in England has hit its lowest level since 1998 with just 66 per cent of people owning their own home. Read more on the Daily Telegraph website.