2009: Our House - Episode 5

This is Capitalism

How might a young couple, unable to buy their first home today, have fared in past decades? Tacita and Charlie are in their mid twenties. They live near Brighton on the south coast and are desperate to move in together. But buying somewhere in this part of the country is out of their reach. They believe earlier generations had it easier than they do. In the final programme Tacita and Charlie travel back to 2009. The global financial crisis is biting hard, mortgage lending is being squeezed and workers are facing a pay freeze. So, is this the worst period so far for a young couple trying to get on the housing ladder? And how does it compare to today? The experts who guide our couple through 2009 are economist Jonathan Cribb from the Institute for Fiscal Studies, Professor Sharon Collard from the University of Bristol and Professor Claire Langhamer from the University of Sussex.

Producers: Rosamund Jones and Paul Kerley