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Morning Briefing: housing associations under fire for ‘denying homeless social housing’
Housing associations have been criticised in the national press this morning for “routinely” refusing to place homeless people in social housing over fears they are too much of a financial risk.
In the news
The Guardian runs a story this morning claiming that a number of councils are concerned that housing associations are turning down the poorest prospective tenants in favour of those with stronger credit ratings and employment.
Jon Sparkes, chief executive of Crisis, said that there was very little scrutiny of how housing associations fulfil their legal duties to help people experiencing homelessness.
He added: “Some see homeless people as risky tenants – in part due to certain welfare reforms – and will only rent to them if they can pass certain financial checks, making the huge challenge of finding a home near impossible.”
Kate Henderson, chief executive of the National Housing Federation, said that the same proportion of new housing association lettings are going to homeless people as they were 10 years ago.
The Guardian also carries a rather blistering opinion piece on the topic from its social policy editor.
The story comes from Crisis’ annual homelessness monitor, which is also covered by several other papers, including Inside Housing.
The Mirror and The Sun both lead their reports on Crisis’ finding that nine in 10 councils believe the benefit freeze and Universal Credit will make more people homeless.
Two million people are now on Universal Credit, according to figures released yesterday and covered by the Mirror.
The Guardian’s Aditya Chakrabortty claims that a leaked memo from the Department for Work and Pensions shows it is about to launch a PR campaign defending the flagship welfare programme.
ITV News has published a clip from an investigation into discrimination against renters relying on benefits.
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In planning news, London mayor Sadiq Khan is set to decide the fate of a £500m proposed build-to-rent scheme in Southwark after the council rejected it for a lack of affordable housing, according to Building.
And the Southend Echo reports that independent councillors at Southend Council are urging the government to veto the local authority’s plans for a major estate regeneration scheme, which campaigners argue will cause the loss of more than 400 social homes.
In Nuneaton and Bedworth, the council has revealed plans for a 28-home modular housing scheme on an old garage site, per Coventry Live.
Meanwhile, MailOnline reports via the Press Association that councils in Scotland have backed the Scottish government’s proposals to bring in new compulsory sales orders for empty homes by 2021.
Elsewhere, Susan Bright, a professor of land law at the University of Oxford, has written a blog piece on the outstanding questions following the government’s announcement of a £200m fund to pay for the removal of dangerous cladding on private blocks.
Brian Cronin, chief executive of Your Housing Group, has written a piece about renting and the so-called “tenancy trap” for CityMetric. Inside Housing wrote about Your Housing Group’s report on Monday.
Start-up industry news website Tech Crunch carries a piece examining innovations to make housing more affordable.
And finally, housing secretary James Brokenshire is taking heat for a photo of his kitchen in The Times, which appears to show four ovens. Mr Brokenshire has responded to the controversy on Twitter (below).
On social media
23 months on. We remember today and always. 💚
— Grenfell United (@GrenfellUnited)>23 months on. We remember today and always. \uD83D\uDC9A
— Grenfell United (@GrenfellUnited) May 14, 2019
Quite a story. I fought for one homeless mum being rejected by a housing association because helping out her adult son during a crisis made her too risky to be a tenant!Turning away the poorest from social housing because they constitute a financial risk is simply unacceptable. t.co/40ILAubsnE
— Karen Buck (@KarenPBuckMP)>Quite a story. I fought for one homeless mum being rejected by a housing association because helping out her adult son during a crisis made her too risky to be a tenant!Turning away the poorest from social housing because they constitute a financial risk is simply unacceptable. https://t.co/40ILAubsnE
— Karen Buck (@KarenPBuckMP) May 15, 2019
Amazing what you can rustle up! Maybe some more hot potatoes next! #twoovens pic.twitter.com/gU0vrbuaV2
— James Brokenshire (@JBrokenshire)>Amazing what you can rustle up! Maybe some more hot potatoes next! #twoovens pic.twitter.com/gU0vrbuaV2
— James Brokenshire (@JBrokenshire) May 14, 2019
What’s on
- Prime Minister’s Questions will take place at 12pm in the House of Commons
- The CIH’s South West conference kicks off in Bristol today
