Skipton and Ripon MP, Rt Hon Sir Julian Smith KCB CBE, hosted and delivered a speech at Skipton Group's inaugural Parliamentary Reception on "Unlocking the Home Affordability Challenge for First-Time Buyers." The event, held on 1 April, at the Thames Pavilion in the Palace of Westminster, brought together key figures from across the housing sector to address the pressing issue of home affordability in the UK.
The event coincided with changes in Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) in England and Northern Ireland.
Julian joined a variety of speakers, including Skipton Group CEO Stuart Haire and Kevin Hollinrake MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities. The event was chaired by Helia Ebrahimi, Economics Correspondent at Channel 4.
In his speech, Julian emphasised the importance of collaborative efforts to tackle the challenge of home affordability. He highlighted the significant impact of this issue on first-time buyers in his constituency of Skipton and Ripon, and across the UK. He also referenced the important role that Skipton Group plays in the local community and through its charitable foundation nationally.
Commenting on the event, Julian said, "It was great to host The Skipton Group's inaugural Parliamentary Reception was an important step in highlighting and addressing the challenge of home affordability in Skipton and Ripon and across the UK. It is essential that parliamentarians, the Government and the wider housing industry work together to find practical solutions that enable more people to achieve homeownership."
The Skipton Group Home Affordability Index, created in partnership with Oxford Economics, was a focal point of the event. The Index provides insights into the affordability challenges faced by renters, first-time buyers, and homeowners by age, income, geography, and family type. Attendees had the opportunity to explore the Index's interactive tool and discuss its findings with representatives from Skipton Group and Oxford Economics.
