Martin Hilditch is editor of Inside Housing
Why we are calling for all political parties to Build Social
Martin Hilditch explains why Inside Housing is launching a campaign asking all political parties to commit to building substantial numbers of homes for social rent in their election manifestos
Today, Inside Housing is launching a new campaign calling on political parties across the spectrum to commit to building substantial numbers of homes for social rent in their manifestos for the next election.
The reason that action is needed to deliver more safe and secure housing for people on low incomes is clear. The current system is delivering outcomes that few people would find acceptable. There are now more than 100,000 households (and 131,000 children) living in temporary accommodation in England, for example, a figure that has been steadily rising. More than 310,000 children in England are forced to share beds with other family members, according to the English Housing Survey.
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We agree with the National Housing Federation (NHF) and others that there is a need for a long-term, national plan in England for meeting housing need. We also say there is a consensus that more homes for social rent must be part of that picture.
That’s why our campaign, Build Social, has some specific asks for political parties of all persuasions. We are calling for parties to commit to the delivery of 90,000 social homes a year in England over the next decade in their manifestos for the next election.
We’re not looking to reinvent the wheel with this figure – it comes from research carried out for the NHF and Crisis in 2018 and is one that organisations like Shelter have also called for – but we do want to do our bit to amplify those calls and say there should be a specific commitment to them in election manifestos.
We’re also suggesting a figure of 7,700 homes a year in Scotland – effectively a recommitment to existing delivery plans in a country that already prioritises funding – and 4,000 homes in Wales.
As mentioned, there is a growing recognition of the importance of homes for social rent across the political spectrum. English housing secretary Michael Gove said he thought there should be more homes of every type built every year, “particularly social homes”, in a recent interview with ITV News.
We agree, and think there is an urgent need to go further and faster. Beyond the headline demand, we will look to work with development teams from the organisations that are delivering the most social homes in the UK, such as Wheatley, Peabody and Home Group, to pick up tips for maximising delivery. Our campaign will also seek to amplify the voices of people who are stuck in temporary and insecure homes as a result of the housing shortage.
You will hear us talking a lot about the important role that social housing plays in society – a role that should be discussed more often. But most of all, you will hear us talking about the need to Build Social.
Martin Hilditch, editor, Inside Housing
