EnglandLet's make sure ending the housing emergency is top priority for all political parties this coming general election.
When we live in a safe, secure and affordable home, it supports our health and wellbeing and provides us with the solid base we need to thrive in life.
Currently, one in three adults in Britain (that's 17.5 million people) are impacted by the housing emergency – living in overcrowded, dangerous, unstable or unaffordable housing.
But successive governments have ignored this year after year and the impact has been devastating.
33% more people sleep rough than ten years ago
45% of private renters say rent worries are making them anxious or depressed
250,000 social rented homes were sold or demolished in the past decade
We think the leaders of every political party have the responsibility to lead a government that commits to bold action.
We need them to rebuild a fairer housing system that provides the solid foundations that this country sorely needs.
This manifesto has been created with people from across the country, from rural and coastal towns to urban centres. With one in four voters affected by the housing emergency, the next general election is our opportunity to change things and the good news is, your voice and your vote are powerful.
Read our full manifesto [PDF, 15MB]
Read the shorter executive summary [PDF, 7MB]
People who are homeless and trapped in temporary accommodation waiting for a social home.
People too scared to complain to their landlord about damp and mould affecting their physical health for fear of being evicted.
People who are being crushed by the weight of unfair rent increases.
'Eighteen months being at the mercy of a broken safety net of emergency and temporary accommodation. We found ourselves priced and discriminated out of the private rental sector. At every turn to be told, ''there are no houses'' was devastating.'
'I am stressed, anxious and depressed. I can't sleep and I can't concentrate at work. When I look for places, I don’t know what to expect, because often even though I meet all the criteria, the property will be offered to someone who is in a stronger financial situation than me and can offer more money.'
'While I was looking for a new place, I was being asked for six months' rent up front, which made it very difficult. I didn’t have that money, and I didn’t know anyone who could be a guarantor – it’s these invisible barriers that are in the way of securing yourself a new place to rent. So much of it isn’t really in your control.'
3000 people sleep rough on any given night
131,000 children are growing up in temporary accommodation
1.2 million households are stuck on social housing waiting lists
Do you have a story to share about how the housing emergency is affecting you or your family? We'd love to hear from you.
Over the next year, politicians will be trying to win your vote. Why not tell them you're only interested in a new government that will promise to put housing first?
A government that rebuilds our housing system on principles that guarantee a genuinely affordable, safe and secure home - one that provides a foundation for adults and children living across England.
To get commitments from political parties, enough of us need to sign this open letter to party leaders. Let's stand together, maximise our influence, and remind them they'll lose our vote - and the next general election - if they continue to ignore the housing emergency.
The housing emergency in England shows itself most acutely in the inequalities it perpetuates. Read our statement to find out more about our promise to advocate for racial justice in the housing sector – in the lead-up to the general election and beyond.
