Angela Rayner has told the Labour conference that housing associations in England will be barred from declining to house homeless families without good reason, part of a wider push for greater public control of housing.
Housing associations in England will be told they cannot decline to house homeless families without good reason, Angela Rayner will tell the Labour conference, according to the Guardian. The announcement forms part of a broader drive for more public control of housing in England.
Under the plans, councils are set to gain new powers over housing, the Guardian reported. The measures are aimed at addressing the sharp rise in the numbers of families in temporary accommodation and people sleeping rough.
Homelessness charities welcomed the announcement, describing the new powers as a “gamechanger” with the potential to make a significant difference to rough sleeping and families in temporary accommodation.
The scale of the problem is significant. According to the Guardian, almost 180,000 children are living in temporary accommodation, underscoring the pressure on housing provision across England.
The conference speech signals Labour’s intention to give public bodies a greater role in housing, with the requirement on housing associations to justify any refusal to accommodate homeless families representing a central element of the policy.
Why it matters
With almost 180,000 children living in temporary accommodation, changes to how homeless families are housed could affect large numbers of vulnerable people. The move signals a shift toward greater public control of housing in England, which could reshape the responsibilities of councils and housing associations.