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The number of people dying while sleeping rough or staying in temporary accommodation has more than doubled over the past five years, according to figures compiled by The Guardian
In the news
The shocking statistics show an average of more than one death a week in 2017 – though this could be a substantial underestimate due to incomplete data.
At least 230 homeless people died between 2013 and 2017, at an average age of just 43.
In other news, Labour has released a campaign video for the local elections on 3 May, with a focus on the housing crisis.
The Huffington Post reports on the short film, titled Housing Matters, which was broadcast last night.
Meanwhile, the Belfast Telegraph reports on a reminder from work and pensions secretary Esther McVey that new support for those transitioning from housing benefit to Universal Credit comes into effect this week.
Claimants will receive an extra two weeks of housing benefit as they transition to the new monthly welfare payment system.
Over in East Anglia, The Guardian runs a piece about Great Yarmouth Borough Council, which has managed to slash its housing waiting list by 95%, while cutting costs and improving customer satisfaction levels.
Elsewhere, Tim White, a researcher from LSE Cities, takes an interesting look at the UK’s build-to-rent market for The Guardian’s Housing Network.
He argues that despite £2bn investment into purpose-built rental flats last year, build-to-rent will do little to ease affordability issues.
In The Times, John Perry of the Chartered Institute of Housing shares his thoughts about Dominic Raab’s comments on the link between immigration and the housing crisis in The Sunday Times last weekend.
Mr Perry argues that the housing minister’s claim that immigration has pushed up house prices by 20% “oversimplifies” the issues at play.
Inside Housing has done some of its own digging on where Mr Raab got his numbers, with interesting results.
And finally, Neal Hudson has written an informative blog post for the New Civic Housebuilding website about the value and cost of land.
On social media
Usual train, but different destination for me today - off to Sheffield for 3 days of housing research and debate at #hsa18 :) pic.twitter.com/kASQCyr3Ry
— Brian Robson (@jrfbrian)Usual train, but different destination for me today - off to Sheffield for 3 days of housing research and debate at #hsa18 :) pic.twitter.com/kASQCyr3Ry
— Brian Robson (@jrfbrian) April 11, 2018
Up fairly early to get train to Sheffield for the fabulous @HSA_UK conference, usually one of the most informative in the #ukhousing sector
— Paul Smith (@housingpaul)Up fairly early to get train to Sheffield for the fabulous @HSA_UK conference, usually one of the most informative in the #ukhousing sector
— Paul Smith (@housingpaul) April 11, 2018
What’s on
The Housing Studies Association kicks off its three-day research and debate conference in Sheffield this morning.