Housing minister notes “real pressures” on first-time buyers

With thousands of new homeowners struggling with debt management problems, Ms Cooper has noted that for families nationwide getting on the first rung of the housing ladder has become impossible financially.

“What we are seeing is rising house prices because we are simply not building enough homes,” she told the BBC’s Newsnight programme.

“People do face real pressures,” she added.

Much of the problem, Ms Cooper suggests stems from the lack of new houses being built around the country, which leads to the continuing increase in property values and in many cases a subsequent lack of affordability.

Earlier this year, the Consumer Credit Counselling Service predicted that debt management issues would put homeowners “on the rack” throughout 2007.