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.
Universal Credit Alert Briefing
Shelter has analysed the latest figures from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) on Universal Credit and Housing Benefit, to February 2021. The new figures show that the number of households claiming housing support has continued to rise and now stands at almost 5,000,000.
Published: 24 May 2021
Briefing: Queen's Speech debate on affordable and safe housing for all
The Queen's Speech was a major opportunity for the government to detail its plans to tackle the housing emergency as we emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic. While there were promising commitments on renters’ rights with the government recommitting to the Renters’ Reform Bill, there was unfortunately little detail on how its planning system reforms will deliver social housing on the scale we desperately need.
Published: 17 May 2021
The Renters’ Reform Bill: How can the upcoming Bill best deliver for tenants and landlords? Summary Report of an Onward and Shelter Partnership
The Renters’ Reform Bill: How can the upcoming Bill best deliver for tenants and landlords? Summary report of an Onward and Shelter partnership
Published: 10 May 2021
Consultation response: Home Office's New Plan for Immigration
Shelter’s position is that the New Plan for Immigration will make the existing hostile environment worse for migrants living in the UK. Like many other organisations, we have grave concerns about the New Plan and the impact many of the proposals will have on those affected.
Published: 6 May 2021
Joint Briefing with Women's Aid: The Benefit Cap and Domestic Abuse
This briefing, written by Shelter and Women’s Aid Federation of England, shows how the benefit cap is creating a desperate situation for those fleeing domestic abuse and other forms of violence against women and girls (VAWG). It examines how the benefit cap is creating a unique barrier for women escaping domestic abuse as well as the wider impacts of the cap on poverty and homelessness.
Published: 4 May 2021
Response: Kerslake Commission on Homelessness and Rough Sleeping
The Kerslake Commission on Homelessness and Rough Sleeping asked for responses from the sector on our experiences of the government's 'Everyone In' initiative, which supported people sleeping rough into emergency accommodation during the COVID-19 pandemic. The commission aims to examine and learn the lessons from the emergency response, in order to understand what worked during the pandemic and what is needed going forward.
Published: 30 April 2021
Briefing: House of Lords debate on the risk of mass evictions resulting from COVID-19-related poverty
At the start of the March 2020 lockdown, the government put in place a package of emergency housing measures to keep people safe in their homes during the pandemic. However, over the course of the pandemic, people have fallen through the gaps in support.
Published: 21 April 2021
Briefing: Accommodating street homeless people during the COVID-19 pandemic
Following the High Court ruling in Ncube v Brighton and Hove City Council, this briefing outlines what the judgment means for local authorities and for street homeless people during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Published: 20 April 2021
Universal Credit Alert Briefing
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) released their new Universal Credit statistics. We have analysed these numbers to show the impact of Covid-19 on private renters claiming Local Housing Allowance (LHA). There has been a huge rise in the proportion of private renters receiving LHA since February 2020 and this continues to grow.
Published: 13 April 2021
Benefit Cap Alert Briefing
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) released their new benefit cap statistics. We have analysed these numbers to show how the Covid-19 pandemic has led to a huge rise in benefit capped households and how this is impacting them.
Published: 13 April 2021