Thursday, January 25, 2024
Hollow popularism
The Guardian reports that Downing Street wants to give UK families higher priority for social housing in a controversial scheme that will be badged as “British homes for British workers”.
The paper says that Officials will launch a consultation in the coming weeks into how they can give British citizens faster access to social housing, a move designed in part to bolster Rishi Sunak’s reputation for being tough on immigration.
They add that the move has prompted anger from some in government, who warn it could further fuel support for the rightwing Reform UK party, while housing experts say it is likely to be either illegal or unworkable, or both:
Polly Neate, chief executive of the housing charity Shelter, said: “This policy amounts to nothing more than scapegoating at its worst. It is unnecessary, unenforceable and unjust. Not only does it ignore the fact that there are already stringent rules so only UK citizens or those with settled status can access homes for social rent, but it blames a group of people for a housing emergency that they did not create.”
Advisers to the prime minister originally wanted to include a “British homes for British workers” bill in the king’s speech, but decided instead to focus on reform of the rental and leasehold markets – both priorities of the housing secretary, Michael Gove.
In recent weeks, however, the prime minister has been buffeted by polls showing his party heading for a defeat on the scale of 1997, as well a high-profile call for his resignation from a former cabinet colleague, Simon Clarke. He also faces a bruising confrontation with members of the House of Lords over his bill to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda.
With N0 10 looking for ways to boost the party’s ratings on immigration, officials are looking again at the “British homes for British workers” scheme, and are planning to release a consultation early next month setting out its options.
Under current rules, local housing authorities are meant to decide social housing allocation based on need, giving priority to those who are homeless or living in overcrowded or squalid conditions. Refugees are allowed to claim social housing, but anyone who is not entitled to benefits is not, meaning most foreigners in the UK are already excluded.
As the paper points out, the latest government figures show that 90% of the lead tenants in social housing are British citizens.
The paper says that Officials will launch a consultation in the coming weeks into how they can give British citizens faster access to social housing, a move designed in part to bolster Rishi Sunak’s reputation for being tough on immigration.
They add that the move has prompted anger from some in government, who warn it could further fuel support for the rightwing Reform UK party, while housing experts say it is likely to be either illegal or unworkable, or both:
Polly Neate, chief executive of the housing charity Shelter, said: “This policy amounts to nothing more than scapegoating at its worst. It is unnecessary, unenforceable and unjust. Not only does it ignore the fact that there are already stringent rules so only UK citizens or those with settled status can access homes for social rent, but it blames a group of people for a housing emergency that they did not create.”
Advisers to the prime minister originally wanted to include a “British homes for British workers” bill in the king’s speech, but decided instead to focus on reform of the rental and leasehold markets – both priorities of the housing secretary, Michael Gove.
In recent weeks, however, the prime minister has been buffeted by polls showing his party heading for a defeat on the scale of 1997, as well a high-profile call for his resignation from a former cabinet colleague, Simon Clarke. He also faces a bruising confrontation with members of the House of Lords over his bill to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda.
With N0 10 looking for ways to boost the party’s ratings on immigration, officials are looking again at the “British homes for British workers” scheme, and are planning to release a consultation early next month setting out its options.
Under current rules, local housing authorities are meant to decide social housing allocation based on need, giving priority to those who are homeless or living in overcrowded or squalid conditions. Refugees are allowed to claim social housing, but anyone who is not entitled to benefits is not, meaning most foreigners in the UK are already excluded.
As the paper points out, the latest government figures show that 90% of the lead tenants in social housing are British citizens.
The real problem is that we are not building enough social housing to let, while huge chunks of the housing stock has been sold off. Sunak will kick himself when he finds out which party is responsible for that.
