Handbook on the Political Economy of Social Policy

In this chapter we take a broad view on the political economy of housing policies. We cover a wide range of housing policies, including housing allowances, housing benefits, rental regulation, homebuyer support schemes and tax welfare. First, we problematise the role of housing through the lens of critical political economy and emphasise the contradiction between housing as ‘use value’ versus ‘exchange value’ to discuss the complex interplay of state, market, voluntary and family provision of housing. Second, within the political economy literature we focus on political, structural, institutional and ideological drivers of housing policy formation and change. Third, we take stock of the housing regime and housing systems literature. Moreover, we discuss the social policy interactions of housing with pensions, long-term care, labour markets and schooling. Finally, we critically discuss and contextualise the asset-based welfare and financialization literature and their contribution towards understanding housing policies in a comparative context.