Here, Professor Matt Padley, Co-Director of the Centre for Research in Social Policy (CRSP), comments on how critical housing is for a dignified standard of living, the long decline in the amount of social housing available and accessible to those who need it, and the need for details about delivery, to stop the investment delivering more ‘affordable’ housing, which is anything but for many households.
“It would be hard to find anyone who would disagree that housing is a fundamental component when we’re thinking about what people need, not just to survive, but to thrive. Having a roof over your head is an essential need, but housing is about so much more than simply bricks and mortar. It provides stability and security. It roots households in places and communities. It plays a key role in people’s health and wellbeing. It is the very bedrock of living with dignity.
“In all of our research looking at what is needed for a dignified standard of living in the UK, it is clear that housing – and particularly the cost of housing – is critical when we’re talking about living standards. The long decline in the amount of social housing available and accessible to those who need it, has pushed so many low-income households into unstable, overcrowded, unsuitable homes in the private sector. This means higher rents and greater pressure on incomes that have already been stretched by big increases in the cost of living over recent years.
“Against this backdrop, the increased investment in social and affordable housing announced by Rachel Reeves today is welcome. Important here, is the recognition that any plan to tackle our housing crisis ‘must include social housing’, and that the ‘security of a proper home’ for all is absolutely critical to improving living standards. But this needs to be backed up by concrete detail about how to deliver new social housing on scale, rather than this investment simply delivering more ‘affordable’ housing, which is anything but for many households. And there are some big questions here over our capacity to build this many homes over such a short period of time.
“Investment in social housing is an investment in living standards. It provides stability and security for households who would otherwise struggle to afford appropriate housing. It provides a solid foundation for individuals and households. If Labour are serious about delivering improvements in living standards within this parliament, this announced investment needs to build housing in the right places, with social rents, supported by accessible, affordable transport links.”
ENDS
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