The Grenfell Tower fire was a horrific and senseless tragedy that will remain a scar on our nation’s conscience for decades to come. It was an instance where social housing – something that should form part of the vital safety net in this country – failed to keep people safe.
In the aftermath of the tragedy, social housing could surely no longer be avoided as a topic. And so, the housing and homelessness charity Shelter brought together myself and fifteen other commissioners from across the political spectrum, all with different backgrounds and different perspectives. We were certain that the tragedy had to be a catalyst for positive change, and we knew we needed to ask a question that had been neglected for far too long – what is the future of social housing? It was a question we couldn’t answer on our own.
We spent a year listening to the views of thousands of social tenants, people struggling in the private rented sector, and the public at large. We listened to people around the country talking about their experiences of the housing crisis. More than 31,000 members of the public took part in our consultation into social housing, while organisations such as Mind as well as experts in the housing sector contributed to our findings.
We were overwhelmed by the public response and the tide of support for social housing. I believe this speaks volumes about the role it has played throughout our recent history and could again play in giving many people the strong foundation of a stable, affordable, and safe home and community.
The report, published today, serves as a challenge to the cosy political consensus that has delivered today’s housing crisis. The steep decline in social housing and a fall in home ownership has led to a heavy reliance on the private rented sector, and the rationing of who gets to live in the social homes we do have. We found that social housing is scarce, with only 6,463 new social homes delivered last year. We heard that despite the positive attributes of social housing, it is looked down upon, the people who live in it stereotyped and stigmatised. We also saw the bleak prospects for those trapped with the rising costs and insecurity of private renting, for whom a long-term social rented home is no longer an option. And like those living in and around Grenfell Tower, renters across England told us that people in positions of power are indifferent to their concerns.
Additionally, almost 280,000 people are homeless in England today - more than the entire population of Hull. More than 500 men and women sleeping rough on our streets died last year, in some of the most horrible circumstances conceivable. Evidence submitted to our commission indicates that – without action – hundreds of thousands more could become homeless over the next two decades. With 1.2million people already on the waiting list for a social home, the housing sector is already buckling under the pressure, and the future as it stands holds little by way of hope.
At the heart of this housing emergency is the failure to build enough social homes. Our report recommends a historic renewal of social housing, with a 20-year programme to deliver 3.1million more social homes. This programme will deliver for those in need, but will also make sure a social home is available for young families trapped in renting but who need a step up to get on and save for their future. And it will deliver for those reaching retirement and looking at the prospect of older age in insecure, unaffordable, unsuitable private renting.
It’s a programme which requires investment, but it is an investment that will ultimately pay for itself. Moreover, as our report shows, the human cost of not investing in the future of social housing is devastating. Social housing is a crucial public asset to be proud of, to invest in, to protect and to maintain, and not something to be devalued or neglected. We need nothing less than a visionary, transformational change to create a bigger and better social housing sector and strong communities we can all be proud of.
Will Grenfell be a turning point for our country? I think it should be. I hope with this report there is a chance for a new direction to emerge, for a better and stronger social housing sector at the heart of how we fix our housing crisis. Everyone, no matter what their income, deserves a decent place to live and the time for the government to act is now.
Rev Mike Long is minister at Notting Hill Methodist Church and the chair of Shelter’s social housing commission