Policy library
Policy, research and good practice work forms a major part of Shelter's efforts to address and find solutions for homelessness and housing issues. In this section you can browse through the reports, factsheets, briefings and policy consultation responses that we produce.
All policy documents
Briefing: Legal Aid Bill amendments
The Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill will impose devastating cuts on legal aid funding for specialist advice that helps people to solve their housing problems. Cuts to legal aid for housing issues will take 52,000 cases per year – about 40% of all housing work - out of scope, making an annual saving of £10m in the short term but increasing costs to the taxpayer down the line and denying access to justice for the most vulnerable in our society. Read summary and download 
Response: Right to Buy consultation
There is huge demand for social housing across England. With over 1.8 million households on council waiting lists, homelessness acceptances rising and insufficient numbers of new homes being built, the government must consider how to achieve value for money from housing and find ways to leverage more funding into new supply. The government has also expressed the view that social housing is a 'precious resource' that councils must make the best use of. Read summary and download
Briefing: Held-back households
More and more people from all walks of life are finding that their housing is unaffordable and that their housing choices are constrained, impacting
negatively on other aspects of their lives.
This briefing outlines the housing problems that confront families who are held-back by the housing
system, and sets out why it is so vital that policy makers recognise the needs of this group and begin to tackle the root causes of their housing
problems. Read summary and download
Response: TSA consultation on social housing framework
Under the TSA's proposed revised framework, we are concerned that tenants who take issue with their landlords' tenancy policies, or wish to challenge breaches of landlord policies or the consumer standards, will have very limited individual means of redress. Read summary and download
Briefing: Immediate costs to government of losing a home
This Research Briefing provides a tool for estimating the costs incurred by government when somebody loses their home. Read summary and download
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