Something has gone fundamentally wrong with the housing system and what it offers local people. As this report illustrates, more and more households – in both urban and rural areas – are facing housing stress or cannot afford to repair or heat their homes. Unaffordability has become a feature of all housing types and forms, evident across new and existing markets. It is now a serious concern, particularly for large numbers of low-income households. A fifth of the population are spending disproportionately more on their housing costs – 40% of those in the bottom half of incomes now have an affordability problem.