Low-cost home ownership schemes contribute effectively to regeneration schemes and create mixed communities, but there is a lack of support at both government and local level.
Office of the Deputy Prime Minister research found high levels of customer satisfaction, but a "lack of strong champions" for LCHO at national government and agency level, and at a local level.

Whereas consumers felt schemes such as shared ownership, do-it-yourself shared ownership and the Homebuy equity loans offered value for money, councils marginalised LCHO and saw social rent as a higher priority. Even so, the schemes generated up to £160m a year.

The research calls for a performance assessment of LCHO providers, leadership for the programme and a new focus on regions where there demand for affordable home ownership.

Researchers also noted that the new emphasis on key workers formed good grounds for extending the LCHO schemes.

Local Government Association housing chair Paul Jenks said that the ODPM was "well placed" to become the champion for affordable home ownership.

The research will be launched today at the National Housing Federation's conference.