Introduction

"The National Federation of Young Farmers’ Clubs (NFYFC) has teamed-up with English Rural Housing Association to produce this FAQ Guide for members.

The Guide seeks to offer some answers to questions about affordable rural housing, whilst signposting members to more detailed sources of advice."

Nigel Owens, MBE, President of NFYFC

Affordable housing as a subject is something that matters to Young Farmers and this was shown in the survey of members and next generation completed in 2020. The response to the survey highlighted how important accessing an affordable home was for young people in the countryside and the future success of farming.

Many of you were unsure about what affordable housing was, how you could apply to live in it and what steps you could take to support building some affordable homes in your own communities.

"The absence of sufficient affordable homes in our rural communities is not a new problem - in fact, it is a problem that has got worse in recent years. High property values, increased aspirations to live in the countryside and limited development of new homes have all had an impact, resulting in many local households now being unable to afford to remain within the rural community where they have grown up and have support networks.

Small scale affordable rural housing developments help to rebalance communities, keeping families together whilst providing a boost for local services. Parish and town councils are a driving force for change and a key partner in delivering affordable homes for local people."