Several surveys in recent months have shown that rents have hit record highs here in the UK.
The homeless charity Crisis ran a survey in December which indicated that almost 1 million low-income British households were anxious about impending eviction in the coming months. The charity is urging the Tory government ahead of their spring budget on the 15th of March to increase housing benefit so that it more realistically covers the true cost of rents. Chief executive of Crisis Matt Downie has stated that the combination of rising rents and other living costs, along with low wages has had a devastating impact on thousands of the most vulnerable renters across Britain who face a very real threat of eviction and subsequent homelessness.
Several surveys in recent months have shown that rents have hit record highs here in the UK, with experts indicating that a lack of rental properties has led to desperate home seekers lining up to view what is available and paying over the odds to secure a rental agreement. Along with this crisis in available housing there has been a surge in evictions according to the Ministry of Justice figures for England and Wales. Repossessions by landlords rose to 5,409 between October and December 2022, almost double the figure for that period in 2021. The Ministry of Justice stated that it is unclear whether this rise will continue at the same pace through 2023. Sadly, with energy and other living costs continuing to rise, it will be surprising if it does not.
With a rise in evictions will also come a rise in the already disastrous mental health crisis. Our NHS is just not equipped currently to deal with this, and has not been for a very long time. Mental Health care in the UK has long been shamefully insufficient, with those who need it the most, and their families, being left to suffer in their own private anguish. Thus Britain looks set to suffer even more homelessness, mental health problems, family devastation, and all because our ruling class do not consider the securing for citizens of suitable shelter to be a priority.
They appear to be willing to tolerate a certain amount of suffering on Britain’s streets, of bad housing which causes health problems, of rogue landlords squeezing every last coin out of desperate tenants, so long as it is not them or their profits that are impacted. So long as they can shut their doors inside their gated communities and forget about the children suffering from asthma because of black mould growing up the walls, about the veterans who served in their imperialist wars but who now sleep in the doorways of our cities, tormented by untreated PTSD.
The Workers Party, as point 3 of its 10 Point Plan, will ensure decent, affordable, secure housing for all – it is amongst the most basic of human wants.
by Lara Spurr
How can decent long term renters afford to pay their landlords a realistic rent when allowances are so low. This needs urgent attention to prevent those on incapacity benefits and other low incomes becoming homeless.