The UK faces a persistent housing shortage, with delivery falling well below long-term need. Ahead of the General Election and Spending Review, there was a need for a clear, evidence-based assessment of the scale of the challenge and the policy interventions required.

• Developed a comprehensive evidence base on housing supply and need
• Quantified the scale of the housing shortfall across England
• Analysed constraints on delivery including planning, viability and market structure
• Assessed the role of different tenures and delivery models
• Set out policy options to increase supply and improve affordability
• Produced a high-profile report to inform national debate

Widely cited in national media and policy discussions, presented directly to MPs and policymakers, and helped shape debate ahead of the Spending Review.

The Government has renewed its focus on large-scale new settlements as part of its housing strategy. However, there has been limited consistent, evidence-based assessment of where new towns could be most successfully delivered.

• Developed a rigorous spatial index to identify high-potential locations for new towns
• Assessed locations based on land availability, economic proximity, affordability pressures, supply gaps and land value uplift
• Analysed all Local Authority Districts in England using multiple scenarios and sensitivity testing
• Identified a shortlist of high-potential areas and a final set of priority locations
• Tested results against policy, infrastructure and delivery constraints

Four of the seven locations on the Government’s shortlist aligned with our top recommendations, demonstrating the robustness of the methodology.

The private rented sector is often framed as competing with homeownership and contributing to affordability pressures. The NRLA commissioned CWE to provide an independent, evidence-based assessment of its role within the wider housing system.

• Designed and delivered a national research study combining economic analysis and survey evidence
• Commissioned and analysed a survey of private renters to understand preferences and constraints
• Assessed the interaction between renting, homeownership and affordability
• Undertook spatial analysis of housing and labour market relationships
• Developed insights on lifecycle housing choices and tenure transitions

Provided a robust, evidence-based reframing of the private rented sector, supporting a more balanced understanding of tenure and informing national policy debate.

The Government’s ambition to deliver 1.5 million homes depends on a more diverse housebuilding sector. However, SME builders have been in long-term decline and face increasing pressure from rising costs, regulation and market conditions.

• Analysed the cumulative impact of regulatory, tax and cost pressures on housebuilding viability
• Quantified the additional cost burden of recent policy changes (c.£4.8bn per year)
• Assessed differences in operating margins and resilience between SME and volume builders
• Examined structural barriers including land access, finance and planning costs
• Modelled implications for housing supply and delivery capacity
• Developed policy recommendations to support SME sector recovery

Provided a clear and compelling evidence base on the risks facing SME housebuilders, supporting calls for a more proportionate and targeted policy framework to sustain housing delivery.

Affordable housing delivery is constrained by complex funding arrangements, viability pressures and competing policy objectives. Lloyds commissioned CWE to provide a clearer understanding of how the system operates and where improvements could be made.

• Analysed funding flows and delivery models across the affordable housing sector
• Assessed viability challenges and the role of subsidy and cross-subsidy
• Examined the interaction between public funding, private finance and delivery outcomes
• Identified inefficiencies and constraints within the current system
• Developed recommendations to improve delivery and value for money

Provided a clearer understanding of the economics of affordable housing delivery, informing investment decisions and supporting policy discussions on improving system effectiveness.

Housing delivery is highly sensitive to market conditions, with downturns affecting viability, developer behaviour and supply. Homes England commissioned research to better understand these dynamics and inform potential interventions.

• Analysed housing market trends and downturn dynamics
• Conducted stakeholder interviews with developers, investors and registered providers
• Assessed impacts on viability, delivery rates and pipeline progression
• Identified key risks to housing supply under different market scenarios
• Developed recommendations for public sector intervention

Provided Homes England with a robust evidence base on how market conditions affect delivery, supporting the design of targeted interventions to sustain housing supply.