Number of working families on housing benefits doubles in three years This cannot continue - we need action now to address the causes of rising housing costs, not just the symptoms. Only by addressing the chronic undersupply of new homes can we stem the financial pressure on families and Government. The cost of privately renting a home has gone up by 37% and is set to continue its upward spiral by a further 35% in the coming years, the research found. With the economy in dire straits, house prices will continue to fall going into 2013, but the NHF expects price growth of 6% a year across England from 2015 to 2017. The umbrella organisation, which represents 1,200 housing associations in England, said 390,000 new families were formed in 2011 but only 111,250 new homes were built. It called on the Government to take a "long-term joined up approach," with measures such as releasing publicly-owned brownfield land to housing associations so they can build more new properties. Shelter, Housing and homelessness charity, said the government needed to tackle the problem. "Every day Shelter speaks to young people and families who are paying the price for a housing crisis that's been left to reach boiling point," said its chief executive Campbell Robb. Their aspirations for a stable and affordable home are being crushed by rising rents that leave them struggling to keep a roof over their head, let alone save for a deposit. Many are living with their parents until their mid-thirties and even beyond, when all they want to do is to get on in life. He added: "If we want to protect the next generation from a life lived under constant threat of eviction or rent rises, we have to invest in building more good quality, affordable homes."