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.
Research: The economic impact of building social housing
The Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr) has been commissioned by Shelter and the National Housing Federation (NHF) to assess the economic and social impacts of building 90,000 social homes.
Published: 27 February 2024
Social housing - a prescription for better health and wellbeing
In the first briefing of a general election focused series we explore the link between housing and health. How homelessness kills. How half of private renters are worried about paying the rent. And how poor housing conditions cost the NHS £1.4 billion a year.
Published: 14 February 2024
Homelessness in England 2023
A research report documenting the scale of homelessness in England in 2023
Published: 14 December 2023
Evidence submission: Shelter submission for the Autumn Statement 2023
Shelter calls on the Chancellor to end the damaging housing benefit freeze which is driving record homelessness.
Published: 1 November 2023
Briefing: Second Reading of the Renters (Reform) Bill
Shelter strongly welcomes second reading of this long-awaited bill, and is campaigning to ensure that it is passed swiftly and is robust enough to provide private renters with genuine security and safety in their homes, as well as proper protection against discrimination.
Published: 20 October 2023
Shelter response to consumer standards consultation - reshaping consumer regulation
For over a decade, the social housing sector has experienced wide-spread consumer deregulation combined with severe funding cuts. A push to cut ‘red tape’ and achieve greater financial ‘value for money’ has affected compliance with the consumer standards, both in terms of the physical standards of homes and the housing and neighbourhood management services provided to tenants. It's vital we acknowledge that such political and landlord decisions can have a devasting impact on people’s lives when they result in the safety, health, well-being and voice of social housing tenants being compromised. It’s essential that the new consumer standards result in meaningful improvements to the way social tenants are treated and how their homes are maintained and managed.
Published: 16 October 2023
The Way Home: A Manifesto to Rebuild Our Broken Housing System
Shelter's manifesto for the 2024 general election
Published: 20 September 2023
1 in 4 voters are affected by the housing emergency
Shelter’s new research, conducted by Opinium, finds that 1 in 4 voters are affected by the housing emergency. This research is taken from 1,804 adults in England.
Published: 20 September 2023
Report: The Citizens' Summit on the Housing Emergency
Shelter commissioned NatCen’s Centre for Deliberative Research (CDR) to deliver a citizens’ summit on the housing emergency to inform the development of its manifesto.
Published: 20 September 2023
Joint briefing: HMO licensing and asylum seeker accommodation regulations
The government’s plan to exempt asylum seeker accommodation from these vital safety requirements will put people seeking asylum at a higher risk of fires and poorer living conditions. It also creates a risk of more evictions from HMOs and supported exempt housing if landlords seek to switch existing rental properties to Home Office contracts, putting more pressure on council homelessness services.
Published: 30 June 2023