Shelter responds to funding announcement in Spending Review

Mairi MacRae, Director of Campaigns & Policy at Shelter, said: “This increased investment is a watershed moment in tackling the housing emergency. It’s a huge opportunity to reverse decades of neglect and start a bold new chapter for housing in this country. To truly tackle rising homelessness, it must come alongside a clear target for delivering social rent homes.

“For too long, past governments allowed thousands of social homes to be lost each year, while funnelling public money into so called ‘affordable homes’ which are priced far out of reach for many. The result has been record homelessness, and families, young people, and key workers priced out of their communities.

“Social homes are the only genuinely affordable homes by design with rents tied to local incomes and around two thirds lower than private rents. They keep communities together, save public money and provide the stability people need to thrive. To ensure this funding tackles homelessness at its root, the government must now set a target for how many social rent homes it will deliver through this programme.”

ENDS