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Morning Briefing: discrimination against Muslims in flatshare market
Guardian research shows discrimination in private room letting market, and the I newspaper publishes a more positive account of Universal Credit
In the news
The Guardian reports its survey findings showing that people with “Muslim names” get significantly fewer responses to inquiries about room shares than people with “non-Muslim names”.
The report, based on responses to 1,000 advertisements, shows the “arbitrary discrimination” facing ethnic minorities when looking for a place to rent, the newspaper says. The research is part of the Guardian’s ‘Bias In Britain’ series cataloguing the impact of everyday racism in Britain.
The HuffPost reports on Joseph Rowntree Foundation research showing that more than four million children in the UK are growing up in poverty as parents struggle despite being in work. As Inside Housing has reported here, the research also shows that reduced access to social housing is a major factor in increased child poverty.
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The I newspaper has a piece to balance the sometimes overwhelmingly negative media coverage of Universal Credit. It quotes a benefit claimant, James Rowland, who says the new arrangements provide more of an incentive to work than the “nightmare” of the old benefit system.
The Daily Record however, has a piece about Universal Credit changes coming into effect before Christmas plunging people further into poverty.
There are perhaps bigger battles to fight currently, but Labour has criticised the government for spending £90,000 on the rebranding of its housing delivery agency as Homes England, Politics Home reports. Homes England has described the spend as a “relatively modest sum”.
While we are on the topic of Labour, The Guardian reports that the party would restore legal aid for those appealing benefit decisions should it win power.
The Grenfell Inquiry has heard more heart-wrenching stories about Grenfell victims in their final moments, including Khadija Saye, who left Facebook messages asking for people to pray for her and her mum. You can read the Mirror’s report on this here, and look out for Inside Housing’s ongoing Grenfell Inquiry diary coverage.
Plans for £150m investment in affordable house building across Aberdeenshire have been agreed, reports Scottish Housing News. The plans include 2,354 homes, nearly 2,000 of which would be for social rent.
The Brighton & Hove Independent newspaper reports on a political row about homelessness among councillors.
Finally, the least surprising revelation today is a BBC article stating that “the best way for young people to get their own home [is to] have property-owning parents”. You can read the article here.
On social media
Housing Women Cymru has launched a campaign to end sex for rent – the exploitative practice of advertising housing in return for sex from those in housing need. You can watch a video about the campaign in this tweet here:
Here’s why we need to #endsexforrent
— housing women cymru (@housingwomen)
Join Housing Women Cymru by retweeting & sharing our #NotaLandlord film#UKhousing #welshhousingt.co/0nqFIf1U8QHere's why we need to #endsexforrent
— housing women cymru (@housingwomen) December 3, 2018
Join Housing Women Cymru by retweeting & sharing our #NotaLandlord film#UKhousing #welshhousinghttps://t.co/0nqFIf1U8Q
What’s on
- The Chartered Institute of Housing Cymru’s Older People’s Housing Conference takes place in Swansea
- The House of Lords’ Regenerating Seaside Towns Committee holds an oral evidence session at 3.20pm
