CCHPR have published a research paper into the methodology for understanding local affordability and rents among social tenants. The research, which was commissioned by Affinity Sutton, is being published to contribute to the affordability debate across the sector. One key finding from the research is that while in the past many rent policies have held down rents on larger properties to assist families, those actually most likely to be helped off benefits through lower rents are smaller households without children.
Earlier research commissioned from CCHPR by Affinity Sutton and carried out in 2011, Market-pegged rents and the social sector, examined the demand for an intermediate rent product and how many households unable to afford market rents would be able to afford 80% of market rents. This latest research however shifts its focus to those actually being housed in ‘Affordable Rent’ and social rent properties and looks at the relationship between local household incomes and local rents. The paper highlights the significant complexity in defining affordability as well as where local incomes fail to reflect local rents.
