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Khan opens consultation to give key workers priority housing after pandemic

Sadiq Khan has said he will seek to give nurses, police officers, teachers and other key workers priority access to homes at below market rates in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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London mayor Sadiq Khan’s consultation will run between August and October (picture: London Assembly)
London mayor Sadiq Khan’s consultation will run between August and October (picture: London Assembly)
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@SadiqKhan opens consultation to give key workers priority housing after pandemic #UKhousing

“Housing costs have driven far too many Londoners away from our great city, robbing us of their skills and expertise,” says @SadiqKhan #UKhousing

London mayor looking to expand key worker definition and offer access to cheaper homes #UKhousing

The London mayor has today launched a consultation outlining proposals to set a definition of key worker occupations for local authorities to use when deciding allocation and prioritisation criteria for “intermediate housing” in their boroughs.

Mr Khan’s preferred types of intermediate homes are London Shared Ownership and London Living Rent, which are aimed at people who are unlikely to access homes at social rent levels but are not able to afford to buy or rent suitable homes on the open market.

The consultation, which will run until 11 October 2020, will look at a broad range of other issues relating to intermediate housing, including how affordability can be improved, what more can be done to support delivery of new homes and how transparency and consistency of allocation of these homes can be increased across London.

Mr Khan is looking to come up with clear criteria for which households get priority access to intermediate housing and is asking for views on which occupations should be defined in this way, City Hall said.


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The mayor said: “Housing costs have driven far too many Londoners away from our great city, robbing us of their skills and expertise. Intermediate housing, alongside much-needed homes for social rent, can play a vital role in turning that tide.

“I want to hear from Londoners and our partners about how I can best support London’s key workers to be able to access a safe and secure home that they can afford.

“By helping people buy or rent a home below the market rate, we encourage them to put down roots, become part of a community and help London thrive.”

The consultation is backed by the G15 group of London’s 12 largest housing associations.

Helen Evans, chair of the G15 and chief executive of Network Homes, said: “Our key workers deserve the chance to secure safe, sustainable accommodation that they can afford to live in long term.

“While we continue to push for the social rented homes London needs, it is vital we also have options for those who struggle to afford private rents or are locked out of the housing market.”

Housing groups including the National Housing Federation and the Chartered Institute of Housing have launched a campaign calling for a “once-in-a-generation” investment in social housing after the coronavirus pandemic.

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