Tackle the housing crisis by boosting supply and reforming planning to bring house prices back in line with incomes. In recent decades UK house prices have far outpaced wages – as of 2023, the average home in England costs about 8.3× the average annual salary (down slightly from 8.5× in 2022), whereas in the late 1990s it was only ~3.5×. A startling comparison: in 1997, 88% of local areas in England and Wales had house-price-to-earnings ratios below 5; by 2023, only 7% of areas were that affordable. To restore affordability, the UK needs to build significantly more homes. This means easing restrictive planning rules – streamlining approval for high-quality, higher-density developments in areas of high demand, and encouraging cities to grow up and out. Brownfield redevelopment, gentle densification of suburbs, and new garden towns all have a role. The government should set annual housing targets (e.g. 300k homes/year) and incentivize councils to approve projects by offering infrastructure funding. Policies to free up under-used land (such as converting empty offices to flats) and to speed up construction with modern methods can help increase supply. International examples show supply matters: Tokyo added housing stock liberally and managed to keep house price growth moderate (its price-to-income ratio ~5.4 is far healthier than London’s). As supply expands, prices and rents can stabilize relative to incomes, allowing younger generations a fair chance at owning or renting without crippling costs.
Invest in better public transport, fix traffic bottlenecks, and modernize roads and broadband to improve daily life. Britain’s infrastructure lags behind needs, leading to frustration and lost productivity. Traffic congestion in major cities is severe – London is now Europe’s most congested city, and the average UK driver lost 62 hours in traffic last year (costing about £580 in wasted time/fuel). Clearing key bottlenecks (e.g. upgrading motorway junctions, adding bypasses and bus lanes) can ease commutes. The government’s £96 billion Integrated Rail Plan, which will deliver projects like Northern Powerhouse Rail and Midlands Rail Hub, must be implemented to expand capacity and shorten journey times. Likewise, funding reliable bus and tram networks in cities and rural areas gives people alternatives to driving – improving public transport usage can cut congestion and emissions. Alongside transport, digital infrastructure is crucial: while gigabit broadband availability has reached ~70% of UK premises, actual full-fibre coverage (the gold standard for high-speed internet) is only about 57% of homes as of 2023. Rural communities and left-behind regions still suffer from poor connectivity. Accelerating the rollout of full-fibre and 5G networks nationwide will boost productivity and enable remote work and education. Better infrastructure not only saves time – it raises regional productivity, connects people to opportunities, and makes daily life less stressful. Countries like Germany and Japan have long invested in modern rail and broadband, reaping economic benefits; the UK must do the same to ensure a high quality of life and balanced growth across all regions.
Invest in childcare, skills training, and education to create opportunities for all and relieve family pressures. UK childcare costs are among the highest in the world, posing a huge barrier for working parents. For a typical British couple, net childcare fees consume about 25% of household income – a proportion nearly double the OECD average – forcing many, especially mothers, to reduce work hours or drop out of the workforce. Expanding free and subsidized childcare is a essential: the government’s new plan to offer 30 hours of free childcare per week to children under five (phased in by 2025) is expected to enable an extra 60,000 parents to work. Following through on this pledge (and ensuring enough childcare providers are available) will help families save money and boost women’s employment. Alongside early years, improving vocational training and higher education access is key to opportunity. The UK should strengthen apprenticeship and skills programs so that young people have multiple pathways to good careers, not only via university. Germany’s famed dual apprenticeship system is a model: it has kept youth unemployment around 6% by giving millions of non-university youth practical training and jobs. The UK can expand initiatives with employers to create more apprenticeships in tech, manufacturing, and green jobs, supported by funding incentives and local colleges. At the university level, investing in capacity and financial support ensures that cost is not a barrier for talented students – maintenance grants or targeted debt relief (especially for critical fields like engineering or nursing) could be considered. From affordable childcare to lifelong learning, investing in people yields long-term economic and social returns. Children get a stronger start, parents can pursue careers, and workers can up-skill for a changing economy – all contributing to a more equitable and prosperous society.
