Single people locked out by housing policy

Labour leader and housing spokesperson Ivana Bacik has expressed her deep concern at the lack of affordable housing for single people.

As a BPFI report suggests that single, first-time housing buyers must earn a minimum of €67,000 a year to qualify for a mortgage, Deputy Bacik said single people are being thrown to the wolves by Government on housing.

Deputy Bacik said:

“Single people are being totally deprived of the opportunity to own affordable accommodation.

“Being single isn’t just a stage of life that people should want to get out of. In fact, it is extremely damaging to create a housing policy that traps people in relationships.

“Failing to reflect the needs of single people has a disproportionate impact on women. The Women’s Aid report published today showing the 16% increase in women reporting domestic abuse is one potential and frightening outcome of such policy.

“Home ownership is a legitimate aspiration for all people – single or married, young or old – and we need to put in place supports for collective approaches to home ownership for low and middle income earners.

“€67,000 is 40% above the average wage so it’s clear that home ownership is but a pipe dream for many single people. Our entire housing system is predicated on the belief that people should couple up and live together to make buying, or indeed renting, more affordable. No housing system should be trapping people into seeing relationships as economic leverage.

“Home ownership should be a legitimate aspiration for us all.”