A report from the housing campaign, Crisis, in collaboration with Herior-Watt University and the UK Collaborative Centre for Housing Evidence indicates that around a third of housing associations surveyed said pre-tenancy affordability checks determined that the applicant would not be given a tenancy due to “too low an income or insecure finances”. According to Crisis … Continue reading Too poor for council or housing association homes
Category: Council Housing
Social & Affordable Homes Programme – a flawed programme which will not solve the housing crisis
At the Spring Spending Review it was announced that the Labour Government's Social and Affordable Homes Programme, beginning in 2026, would have 10 year funding of £39 billion, though the Financial Times reported that most of it was “back-loaded” after the next General Election. The guidance for the new SAHP has just been published. It … Continue reading Social & Affordable Homes Programme – a flawed programme which will not solve the housing crisis
Rampant landlordism and tenant resistance
Ahead of two upcoming talks about her new book, Eviction: A Social History of Rent, Jessica Field explains how her own family’s battle led her to explore a history of housing struggles. (From Labour Hub) My parents, brother and 69 neighbour households were finally evicted from their private rental estate in south Leeds in 2022. They’d lived on the … Continue reading Rampant landlordism and tenant resistance
No to 10 years of above inflation rent increases
The government is implementing a policy of 10 years of above inflation rent increases (CPI+1%) for council and housing association tenants. In addition it is reintroducing 'rent convergence' (see our Briefing: Why we oppose 'rent convergence'), originally introduced by New Labour to drive up council rents to housing association levels. The consultation on 'rent convergence' … Continue reading No to 10 years of above inflation rent increases
“The speculative builder is an unplannable instrument” – lessons from the Attlee government, Part 1
This year sees the 80th anniversary of the election of the post war Labour government. The General Election took place on July 5th. The result was announced on July 26th owing to the counting of the votes of troops abroad. Despite dire economic circumstances, far worse than we face today, the government set up the … Continue reading “The speculative builder is an unplannable instrument” – lessons from the Attlee government, Part 1
Rachel Reeves’ CLP calls for 100,000 council homes year and affiliates to the Labour Campaign for Council Housing
Leeds West and Pudsey Constituency Labour Party, for which Rachel Reeves is the MP, has passed a motion calling for, amongst other things, 100,000 council homes a year and ending Right to Buy. It agreed to affiliate to our campaign; the second Leeds CLP to do so. The passing of the resolution reflects the widespread … Continue reading Rachel Reeves’ CLP calls for 100,000 council homes year and affiliates to the Labour Campaign for Council Housing
Step up the pressure for 90,000+ social rent homes a year
“The new investment pales by comparison with the scale of housing need...” Kate Henderson of the National Housing Federation, and others, have described the housing package announced in the Spring Spending Review as “transformational”. This is hyperbole. Jules Birch is closer to the mark when he wrote in Inside Housing that “The new investment pales … Continue reading Step up the pressure for 90,000+ social rent homes a year
There can be no resolution of the housing crisis without a break from austerity
A debate in the Labour Party on the need for a fundamental change of direction by the government, has broken out in public The recent disastrous Parliamentary by-election and local election results have opened up an unprecedented debate in public, in the Labour Party, as Labour MPs have broken cover. South Shields Labour MP Emma … Continue reading There can be no resolution of the housing crisis without a break from austerity
Leeds North West CLP affiliates to Labour Campaign for Council Housing
At it's recent meeting Leeds North West CLP passed the following housing resolution which included affiliating to our campaign. “This CLP welcomes the recognition by Angela Rayner, Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, that Council housing is a vital element of any credible plan to tackle the UK’s … Continue reading Leeds North West CLP affiliates to Labour Campaign for Council Housing
Austerity by another name: “Exceptional Financial Support”
There can be no resolution of the housing crisis without a break from austerity The financial crisis of local government is spiralling out of control. 30 councils have been granted “Exceptional Financial Support” which offers no support but only more debt. Does this impact on Housing Revenue Accounts, which are 'ring-fenced'? How does the crisis … Continue reading Austerity by another name: “Exceptional Financial Support”
Labour Campaign for Council Housing 