The Housing the Nation report explores public perceptions of the country’s chronic shortage of homes.

The research shows 68% of people believe that building more homes is vital to resolving the country’s housing crisis and a staggering 72% place responsibility for solving the country’s shortage of homes firmly at the door of politicians.

It comes as home ownership among younger generations is lower than for their predecessors and housing supply numbers are plummeting. HBF warns that without government intervention the current anti-business, anti-growth policy environment, coupled with challenging economic landscape could see housing supply halve to new record lows exacerbating the nation’s housing crisis.

The strongest support for building more homes was concentrated among the older age groups, with 74% of 55 to 64s and 71% of 65+ year olds agreeing that more new homes was vital to tackling the housing crisis.

The Housing the Nation report shows support for building homes is higher than those opposing development in every region. Even in the South East, where home building is portrayed as attracting the strongest opposition from local residents, 70% of respondents were either supportive or not averse to more homes being built in their local area.

Almost three quarters of respondents (72%) said responsibility for the housing crisis sits most heavily with the Government, followed by Local Councils (16%).

Despite this, only 55% of respondents agreed that solving the housing crisis was actually a priority for politicians and only 18% thought that politicians understand the challenges young people face in getting on the property ladder.