This chapter acknowledges that property prices and private rental costs mean there is real need for more social housing stock - but it doesn’t include additional funding for building social housing. This is the most contentious part of the green paper.
Importantly for us though, this chapter includes a promise to gather data about how social housing is allocated, something we've been calling for.
This chapter explains how the Government intends to ensure existing social housing is used efficiently for those who need it most. Policies for accessing social housing are set by each local authority, so drawing an accurate picture of what is happening nationally is currently almost impossible. So the Government is proposing to collect evidence from local authorities to better understand the decisions they are making about which residents are allocated housing.
What we think:
We’re pleased to see social housing allocation referenced, especially as it is talked about in a way that focuses on ensuring fairness in the system. However, there is no specific mention of people with mental health problems and we’re concerned that this group could be overlooked. We already know that people with mental health problems are often just swept in with other groups.
We will be pushing for Government and local authorities to collect information on the number of people accessing social housing who have mental health problems, and their experiences. This is the only way to ensure that the system reflects their needs and is truly fair.
What is your experience of applying for social housing? Was your mental health taken into account?