Government must take urgent action to address housing crisis, says TUC

Speaking at the Bevan Society annual lecture in London later today (Wednesday), TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady will warn that the government must take urgent action to address the UK's housing crisis.

The TUC believes that government policies like the bedroom tax and the benefits cap are creating immense hardship for low-income families, many of whom are in desperate need of a decent place to live.

As official figures published last week revealed that the number of affordable homes created in England plummeted by 26 per cent in 2012/13, the TUC believes that the only way for ministers to address the housing crisis is to pledge to build one million affordable homes.

Building these homes would not only improve the lives of ordinary families, says the TUC, but would also generate hundreds of thousands of jobs and head off the damaging house price bubble being fuelled by the government’s flawed Help to Buy scheme.

The UK has the most expensive housing in Europe, with private rents at an all-time high, hundreds of thousands of people homeless and many more living in overcrowded, unhealthy and unsuitable accommodation, Frances will say.

Young people are growing up without any hope of ever owning their own home – in London the average house now costs a colossal £393,000, an impossible dream for most, says the TUC.

The TUC argues that building one million affordable homes would provide a welcome boost to the economy and the construction industry and – according to TUC research – the long-term benefits could be worth up to £400bn.

Building new homes would also create jobs at a time when unemployment is still far too high. Figures from the National Housing Federation suggest that fulfilling the million new homes pledge could generate around 1.5 million jobs, including much-needed apprenticeships.

TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady will say: “Housing in Britain is fast turning into a nightmare for many ordinary families. With working people suffering the biggest squeeze on their incomes in almost a century, saving for anything at all – let alone a substantial deposit on a home – is becoming beyond the reach of all but a fortunate few.

“The private rented sector needs to be better regulated to ensure that tenants are treated fairly and that rents stop spiralling out of control. But the biggest need that families and single people in towns and cities across the UK are crying out for is affordable housing. The government should pledge to build a million more affordable homes without delay.

“We need to get living standards rising again for ordinary working people and this includes making sure there are enough, decent and affordable, homes to go round.”

NOTES TO EDITORS:

- Frances's Speach can be found at http://www.tuc.org.uk/social-issues/housing/frances-o%E2%80%99grady-speech-bevan-society-annual-lecture 

- The TUC’s campaign plan can be downloaded from www.tuc.org.uk/campaignplan

- All TUC press releases can be found at www.tuc.org.uk

- Follow the TUC on Twitter: @tucnews

Contacts:

Media enquiries:

Liz Chinchen   T: 020 7467 1248    M: 07778 158175    E: media@tuc.org.uk

Rob Holdsworth    T: 020 7467 1372    M: 07717 531150     E: rholdsworth@tuc.org.uk