Estimates Day Debate briefing MHCLG & DWP

At the heart of our national emergency in housing is a decades long failure to build enough homes, and particularly enough social homes. The impact of this failure is seen by Shelter every day in our services and in the harrowing statistics on housing that are increasingly all too familiar. 

The government, through both legislation and investment, can take steps to address this though and the spending of both MHCLG and DWP could be used to make a material impact on housing and homelessness in England. 

To do this, the government must:

1. Ensure Local Housing Allowance rates are unfrozen and restored to at least the 30th percentile so that more homeless people can find a home they can afford in the private rented sector; 

2. Ensure Social Housebuilding receives the levels of investment necessary to provide a secure, lowcost home to all who need one; 

3. Introduce legislation to reform the 1961 Land Compensation Act – ensuring land comes into development at lower values so that genuinely affordable, high-quality homes can be built.