To ask what one or two policies you think could make the biggest difference to the U.K.?

[whatkatydid2013]

To me the big one is social housing. I feel like if we could build up a large supply of social housing at reasonable rates all over the country the benefits would be massive. It would make life affordable for many more people and lead to them being less likely to need in work benefits. The affordable rents would cover maintenance and could keep large numbers of people in stable employment doing said maintenance (as well as creating administrative roles). It would make it less challenging to staff key worker roles in more expensive areas. In the short term I appreciate it would be a massive expense but it seems like in the long term it would cost less than our current system on a going basis and it would make many people a lot more financially secure. I find it disappointing that all main parties seem so focused on home ownership in their policy statements. I know there are many important policy areas but this just always feels like one that’s very central and totally glossed over by all parties. Maybe because there isn’t a quick, easy fix?

"Want to buy" is not the same as actually going ahead to purchase a house at current prices and mortgage rates. Unless of course, we're talking about doing right to buy, (which is an absurd policy) then financing a move on the profits...

Make the biggest difference to the UK, or most benefit to the people who live here ?

Probably I would say taxation reform. At the moment property/land is not taxed anywhere near as much as income. This means a lot of rich people hold large amounts of land which is not taxed. We need higher CGT and lower income taxes, and replace some income tax with property taxes. Essentially we need to incentivise work, and disincentivise rentier activity like landlordism.

Next I would say house building. At the moment incentive to work is low, because income taxes are high and property prices have been elevated too high. We need to build more houses both private and social and tax ownership of them (as above) to bring down property prices so people in normal jobs can afford housing. The idea that police officers, teachers, nurses etc cannot earn enough to afford their own home without subsidy is ridiculous.

These two changes would make a huge difference to the UK and to the average persons quality of life. If people didn't have to spend loads of money on mortgages, they would have more money freed up for other spending such as holidays. High house prices are a cancer on society - they are making it impossible for people to have a decent life because they either do not feel secure enough to start a family due to lack of housing, or they just don't bother working because there is no chance of them ever being able to afford their own home.

Now, the chances of the above two things happening, close to zero. Because of the old money vested interest as well as the idiots who spend their time promoting ever increasing house prices. Plus changes like this would probably most likely impact the old, and the young seem largely indifferent to voting, so it would be unlikely these policies would get voted in.

It’s so interesting seeing what a range of ideas people have and to what extent some people have very specific issues in mind.

And that doesn't help, either people in the UK or the planet either.

It's not just clothes, why did we allow British industry (British steel etc) to be sold off?
Bought by foreign steel companies and now they have decided to close down UK plants because they can make it cheaper elsewhere.
So we have no choice but buy from India and China.

Properly funded childcare to enable more young families to work

NHS dentistry to be accessible to all

Proportional representation.
Compulsory voting (together with removing the barriers that mean some eligible people cannot exercise their right to vote.)

A proper public transport system where you can actually get home after a football match or concert by bus/train. Proper services on Sundays on the trains. Expanded train service so you can actually get to your local airport for the first flight of the day and can get a train home after the last flight has landed (Manchester I'm looking at you!).

This would be great.

At the moment we two years of disruption to our lives due to transport strikes - we had local bus one first that affected DD1 getting to college starting A-levels finished it was trains - we had to cancel so many plans - uni open days- or fact in traveling down on a Friday like getting her to Uni - and we not in even in North of England where I understand train and bus services have at times been close to collapse. I do think we will in near future have to get driving - (I have dyspraxia and DH gets incredibly nervous post serious injury by a car).

1. The taxation system was never designed for the modern world. Change it, through global consensus, so rich people can no longer dominate absolutely everything and asset strip the majority of resources.

1. The political system was never designed for being dominated by billionaire donors and media barons. Overhaul it completely to make any kind of corruption a criminal offence.

I'd support some kind of National 'Civil' Service where young people do a year or 2 paid work in a civil service department be that DVLA, Defra, UKHSA etc. Those departments where there are high security issues would be excluded. It would give them valuable work experience to put towards their future careers along with an understanding of how the country runs.

If social housing actually made money for the council everyone would do it so it must be a drain. How to make it profitable - why don’t they stop right to buy.

Councils have offloaded their stock due to central government policy. Right to buy was imposed on them by Thatcher and successive governments have just let it run. Properly managed and funded social housing has always paid for itself.

I know! Maybe I should have said increase tax to 90% on obscenely high ‘wages’.

Yep - the reduction in social housing was done not for financial reasons but ideological ones. It’s a tragedy.

Wood is not a fossil fuel. It is renewable and cheap. GSHPs aren't efficient enough to provide more than background heat yet. Cold weather requires an additional heat source, which log burners fill.

Who cares about a smell! In our village we get all manner of farm smells. It's hardly a compelling argument.

One policy only? Hmmmmm well, we need to go back to something similar to sure start or home start. Get support to all families including those hard to reach families, and make sure all children, regardless of race, religion, background, get the best support and start in life, That would then help to improve behaviour in school, which would improve academic outcomes, which in theory should improve employment outcomes and reduce the prison population. Bloody massive task though and would take ££££££££ to implement it. Worth it longer term though.

Oh dear god 🙄

You have to accept there will always be a market for people wanting to rent.

Not everyone can live at home and save for a deposit.

What we need though is a cap on rental profit to keep them affordable, and to allow folks the opportunity to save for a deposit if they wish.

The scheme of using rental payments as proof towards a deposit-free mortgage was bogus because you could only borrow based on what the equivalent of what your rent is now, rather than your actual affordability.

Really? I think the more benefits (including social housing) you give to people the more they tend to rely on benefits. I actually have heard people saying now they are in a council house they don't have to worry anymore because they will have it for life and even to pass down to their kids. I think a better policy should be benefits are only for the disabled or carers, then just temporary for someone losing their job. Not to top up people that only want to be part timers.

@Pottedpalm 'maybe I should have said increase tax to 90% on obscenely high wages'

That was tried in the 70s. All the very wealthy moved to the US or Monaco. And it led to the Thatcher govt.

Nationalise all utilities/key transport - water, electricity, gas, trains.

Incentives for old people to sell their massive houses and live in smaller places.

@FoodFann

I see this mentioned frequently on here and I'm never sure how this is supposed to help . Surely the properties that we need more of are the 2 and 3 bedroom semi's/townhouses. If an older couple were to decide a new build 2 bed was better suited to their needs, they would be in the same market as the starter homes that are already lacking .

A new seperate emergency service with hospitals or homes for those more vulnerable in society such as addicts, mental health issues etc.

Overhaul of social housing. No more right to buy and council ‘take over’ of empty properties or ‘buy back’ scheme.

Overhaul of benefits system. Making payments less than cost of living so that people who physically can work in whatever way they can have to work to earn the shortfall. Those who physically cannot work contribute to society in some other way.

There's more than enough 1 and 2 beds about. What's lacking is affordable 3 and 4 bed family homes.

How would this apply to folks who work and still need benefit assistance?

Thorough vetting of why they still need it. Could they work more hours? If not why not? Is the pay rate the issue? Sort the pay rate. Is childcare/carer duties an issue? Sort the childcare/carer issues etc etc

I know plenty of people unfortunately who work the bare minimum ‘because benefits pay the rest’ when they are fully capable of doing more. It shouldn’t be this way.
The benefits system was designed for people in absolute dire straits need and it’s got out of control.