Briefing: Protecting social housing tenants at risk of violence

Shelter’s advice and legal teams support families at the sharp end of the housing
emergency every day. One of the most heart-breaking problems we encounter is
social tenants who need urgent rehousing because they and/or their children are
at serious risk of youth violence, criminal exploitation, harassment, or threats
of domestic violence.

These families face an impossible choice: stay put and risk their family’s safety or give
up a secure social home at a time of severe shortage and apply as homeless.  Every year thousands of households become homeless or are threatened with homelessness because of the threat of violence, and our dwindling supply of social housing is accelerating the problem – making it harder to offer urgent moves to safely and permanently rehouse families
fleeing violence.

No one should face homelessness because they are threatened with violence. The
government must work with social housing providers to protect families at risk
of violence:

1. Social landlords should urgently cooperate in circumstances where a social tenant
   needs to move to another area to protect their family.

2. In the event that social tenants have to move because of a risk of serious
   violence, their tenancy rights must be protected.

3. The government must invest in a new generation of social housing, to ensure that
   every family has access to a safe, secure, affordable home.