Research by Shelter has painted a harrowing picture of the shocking conditions in which people live across the UK today
Four in 10 people in Britain live in a home that isn’t up to scratch, a national housing and homeless charity has blasted.
Shelter says that 43% of us either live in a house that is infested or unsafe, doesn’t have a secure tenancy or we just cannot afford.
The statistic was uncovered by the charity as part of research undertaken by it along with Ipsos MORI, with support from British Gas.
A home is much more than bricks and mortar – it’s a place that should allow us to live and thrive, rather than just get by
It asked 1,691 adults from across the UK what they consider makes an acceptable home.
Almost one in five people said they live in homes where problems include persistent pests, damp or safety hazards.
One in four say they either can’t meet rent or mortgage payments without regularly cutting back on essentials like food/heating, the charity claims and one in 10 people don’t have enough control over how long they can live in their home.
“At Shelter we know all too well that a home is much more than bricks and mortar – it’s a place that should allow us to live and thrive, rather than just get by,” said Campbell Robb, Shelter chief executive.
“When Shelter was founded fifty years ago, it was with the hope that one day everyone in in the country would have access to a place they can truly call home. But the sad truth is that far too many people in Britain right now are living in homes that just aren’t up to scratch – from the thousands of families forced to cope with poor conditions to a generation of renters forking out most of their income on housing each month and unable to save for the future."
Using its research Shelter has now created the Living Home Standard measure – a new way for people to decide whether their home is fit for purpose.
It is made up of five criteria, which are affordability, decent conditions, stability, space and neighbourhood.
Robb added: “Now is the time for a national mission to get to grips with our housing crisis once and for all. We’re calling on the new government, alongside businesses and other charities, to work with us to turn things around and increase the number of homes that meet the Living Home Standard.”
