Commenting on the changes announced to housing budgets today (Wednesday) by the Chancellor, UNISON General Secretary Dave Prentis said: “The promised investment in housing and the commitment to build new housing for rent does little for the many families and individuals rapidly being priced out of our towns and cities.
“The chance to buy or rent decent low cost accommodation has become vanishingly small for most middle and low income workers.
“Reports shows the UK needs to build 100,000 new affordable homes for rent a year, yet none of the money promised by the Chancellor will do much to help the many people desperate to find somewhere to live.
“Extending the right to buy housing association properties will mean that there are fewer flats and houses to rent. Expecting decent social housing to be replaced when there is no guarantee of when or where, makes little sense and will be of no help to those on waiting lists.
“Limiting housing benefit will hit how much housing associations and councils can invest in building new homes which again will mean fewer affordable properties.”
