Drastic action is needed to solve Britain's social housing crisis, a leading charity has warned. AFP
Drastic action is needed to solve Britain's social housing crisis, a leading charity has warned. AFP
Drastic action is needed to solve Britain's social housing crisis, a leading charity has warned. AFP
Drastic action is needed to solve Britain's social housing crisis, a leading charity has warned. AFP

Britain urged to spend billions on social housing to end crisis


Claire Corkery
  • English
  • Arabic

The scale of Britain’s housing crisis was laid bare on Tuesday as a high-level report called for more than £200 billion (Dh940 billion) to be spent on building three million more homes.

Addressing a shortage of social housing, Shelter, a leading charity, urged the government to begin an ambitious 20-year housebuilding programme to make up for systemic failures to provide enough newly built homes since the 1980s.

The 16 independent commissioners of the report include former Labour leader Ed Miliband, former Conservative chairman Baroness Sayeeda Warsi and Edward Daffran, a Grenfell survivor.

The authors spent a year speaking to hundreds of social tenants, housing experts and more than 30,000 members of the public.

They concluded that the government should build 1.27 million homes for “those in greatest housing need”, including disabled people, homeless people or those living in inadequate housing. It also recommended widening the criteria for those who are eligible for social housing. It identified a rent trap in which 1.2 million families earned too little to build a deposit while paying for accommodation, even as their income was too high to qualify for state-owned properties.

Despite ranking as the world’s fifth largest economy, homelessness in Britain has soared over the past decade. Research released by Shelter last year revealed that 320,000 people in Britain do not have a home, amounting to one in 200 of the population.

The government has pledged to build 250,000 affordable homes by 2022 at a cost of £9bn, some of which will be available for social rent, which is cheaper than privately rented accommodation and provided on a long-term basis.

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“Providing quality and fair social housing is a priority for this government, and our social housing green paper seeks to ensure it can both support social mobility and be a stable base that supports people when they need it,” said James Brokenshire, the communities secretary.

“We’ve asked tenants across the country for their views and the thousands of responses we’ve received will help us design the future of social housing. We’re also giving councils extra freedom to build the social homes their communities need and expect.”

But the authors of the report argue that the government plans are not bold enough.

Baroness Warsi said: “Social mobility has been decimated by decades of political failure to address our worsening housing crisis.”

While Ed Miliband urged the government to act immediately, he said: "We have never felt so divided as a nation, but building social homes is a priority for people right across our country. This is a moment for political boldness on social housing investment that we have not seen for a generation.

“It is the way to restore hope, build strong communities, and fix the broken housing market so that we meet both the needs and the aspirations of millions of people.”

Shelter said the report’s commission was partly inspired by the Grenfell disaster, which “must mark a turning point in how we talk about social housing".

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The Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index

The Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index

Mazen Abukhater, principal and actuary at global consultancy Mercer, Middle East, says the company’s Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index - which benchmarks 34 pension schemes across the globe to assess their adequacy, sustainability and integrity - included Saudi Arabia for the first time this year to offer a glimpse into the region.

The index highlighted fundamental issues for all 34 countries, such as a rapid ageing population and a low growth / low interest environment putting pressure on expected returns. It also highlighted the increasing popularity around the world of defined contribution schemes.

“Average life expectancy has been increasing by about three years every 10 years. Someone born in 1947 is expected to live until 85 whereas someone born in 2007 is expected to live to 103,” Mr Abukhater told the Mena Pensions Conference.

“Are our systems equipped to handle these kind of life expectancies in the future? If so many people retire at 60, they are going to be in retirement for 43 years – so we need to adapt our retirement age to our changing life expectancy.”

Saudi Arabia came in the middle of Mercer’s ranking with a score of 58.9. The report said the country's index could be raised by improving the minimum level of support for the poorest aged individuals and increasing the labour force participation rate at older ages as life expectancies rise.

Mr Abukhater said the challenges of an ageing population, increased life expectancy and some individuals relying solely on their government for financial support in their retirement years will put the system under strain.

“To relieve that pressure, governments need to consider whether it is time to switch to a defined contribution scheme so that individuals can supplement their own future with the help of government support,” he said.

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Tips to stay safe during hot weather
  • Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
  • Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
  • Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
  • Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
  • Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
  • Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
  • Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
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