Homelessness and Housing
Until now, private tenants have been protected from homelessness by a ban on evictions throughout the coronavirus crisis. That all changes on August 23.
Charities have warned the coronavirus pandemic has made homeless people even more vulnerable in the extreme weather.
New proposal is buried in the Planning for the Future white paper from the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government.
Research for Shelter also reveals 550,000 adults have taken on debt to pay rent – and the eviction ban will soon be lifted.
A ban on tenancy evictions was announced in March as households across the country faced economic uncertainty at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic. Following a three month extension in June, that ban is set to be lifted on August 23 which homeless charity Shelter says threatens 230,000 renters with a ‘Covid eviction’. Here we speak with Shelter chief executive Polly Neate about what tenants should do if they have fallen behind with their rent. We also hear from Jeanny Priebe, a single mum facing eviction after being furloughed at the start of the pandemic.
The government has vowed to "protect renters", but landlords have continued to dish out Section 21 notices.
New "permitted development rights" also mean developers don't need to build *any* affordable homes when they replace old buildings with housing.
"Nobody should be at risk of catching Covid-19 on the street," charities say as new figures reveal tragic toll.
There are fears for thousands of rough sleepers with no recourse to public funds who were housed at the start of the coronavirus pandemic.
The "unthinkable" decision comes as Generation Rent warns homelessness could treble this year.