ABSTRACT
In comparison with the United States, the most striking feature of the British housing market is the size and resilience of the public sector. In 1971, 31 per cent of all British households rented from a local authority, compared with just 13 per cent in 1947, and while there have been considerable fluctuations in public housing building, the sector continues to account for over one third of all housing starts. The size of the public housing sector reflects the fact that successive British governments have viewed housing as an area where the state should play a leading role in providing a basic need which the free market has failed to satisfy. Housing, therefore, is considered a social service and a central part of social policy. This chapter talks about public housing policies, and explores the problem of housing access and allocation.
