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Sector-wide ‘Homes at the Heart’ campaign launched to put social housing at centre of COVID-19 recovery
Housing groups have launched a campaign urging the government to provide a “once-in-a-generation” investment in social housing to support the economic and social recovery from the coronavirus pandemic.
The National Housing Federation, the Chartered Institute of Housing, Crisis, the Association of Retained Council Housing and the National Federation of ALMOs have launched the Homes at the Heart campaign, with more than 60 other organisations listed as backers.
The campaign said that the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of good quality housing and supporters have written to chancellor Rishi Sunak, arguing that investment in social housing can create jobs, increase growth and bolster the economy.
The letter said: “The coronavirus crisis further highlighted the need for secure, high quality, better-designed affordable homes and, for many people, support to live in them.
“In times of crisis the worth of social housing is ever more visible and to so many of the challenges that lie ahead, social housing is the answer. The social housing sector stands ready to play a major role in shoring up the future of the country.”
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Campaign leaders said that during the pandemic home has felt like a “prison” for those in small, poor-quality accommodation.
Other backers of the campaign include the British Property Federation, Unison, the Campaign to Protect Rural England, various chambers of commerce across the North and the Midlands, the Building Societies Association and Carers UK.
Supporters said a “once-in-a-generation” investment could help those most affected by the crisis, including key workers living in homes they cannot afford, rough sleepers, homeless families in temporary accommodation, older people in unsupported homes and families stuck in overcrowded conditions.
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The campaign identified a number of key areas in which it believes social housing can support economic and social recovery from the virus. These are:
- Public investment in all types of new and existing social housing gives more back to the economy than it takes
- Building and improving social homes – including delivering on the decarbonisation agenda – creates jobs, kick-starts growth and brings huge environmental benefits
- Supporting people to live well in their social homes improves health and well-being and drives cost savings for the NHS
- Social housing is at the centre of thriving communities
The campaign comes after the Local Government Association urged the government to deliver 100,000 social homes per year to support the country’s recovery from COVID-19.
