Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the affordability of starter homes with a value of up to £450,000 in London for individuals on low and middle incomes.

The Housing and Planning Act 2016 set a maximum price cap of £450,000 for a starter home in London, and in many parts of London the price of a starter home should be much lower than this cap, as the starter home will need to be priced at least 20 per cent below its market value. We have also consulted as part of the Housing White Paper on a maximum gross household income threshold for a starter home of £90,000 in London, the same level as shared ownership, to ensure any starter homes are targeted to those struggling to buy their first home.