Renting workers stand precariously close to homelessness, with just one missed paycheck away, according to a recent survey.
In a stark warning, housing charity Shelter has declared the current situation of private renters in England as a crisis. According to their latest YouGov poll, 55% of private renters have experienced rent increases over the past year, exacerbating the precarious position of thousands who are one paycheque away from losing their home.
The surge in food and household bills, combined with rising rents, has left many private renters teetering on the brink. The spectre of homelessness looms large for many, as swathes of people are barely scraping by, forced to compete for expensive private rentals due to the severe lack of social homes.
Shelter's chief executive, Polly Neate, has been vocal about the crisis, stating that decades of government failure to build enough social housing has made the pressure on private renting worse than ever. The charity's recent report shows that 7 in 10 of their callers are worried about their housing situation.
In contrast to private renting, social housing offers long-term secure tenancies with rents set based on local incomes. More than three quarters of social renters in England (76%) say without their social home, they would not be able to afford to live in their local area. Furthermore, 53% of social renters say living in a social home enables them to stay close to family and friends.
Shelter believes that social housing is secure and the rents are tied to local incomes. They call for the government and political parties to commit to building thousands more social homes as a genuinely affordable alternative to private renting. The charity argues that the UK government's piecemeal policies are not enough to address the housing emergency.
Official government data shows that private rents are at a record high, and nearly 40% of private tenants are now struggling or behind with their rent due to the increase in payments. Half of working private renters in England do not have enough savings to pay their rent for more than a month if they lose their job.
The situation is so dire that one million private renters are at risk of eviction, according to a statement by Shelter. The UK government authority responsible for private rental price developments in England and currently conducting too little social housing programs, according to Shelter, is the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (formerly the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government).
In conclusion, the housing crisis in England, particularly among private renters, is a pressing issue that requires immediate attention. Shelter's call for more social housing as a sustainable, long-term alternative to expensive, unstable private renting is a crucial step towards addressing this crisis.
