Category: housing

UNISON hosts housing roundtables with Generation Rent

UNISON is working with campaign group Generation Rent to improve conditions in the private rented sector in England.

As the Renters (Reform) Bill moves through Parliament, UNISON wants to ensure this legislation provides a lasting solution to our broken private rented system.

UNISON assistant policy officer Sylvia Jones said: “UNISON and Generation Rent share a vision that private renters deserve the right to a decent, secure and affordable home.

“Currently, private renters are at the sharp end of the housing crisis, with a higher proportion of their income going on housing costs, but often living in poorly maintained homes.

“With so many working people struggling to pay the rent, now is the time for the voices of renters to be heard and for politicians to wake up and introduce fairness in renting.”

UNISON member Ann McKelvey has worked in education for around 24 years and currently works as an employability skills and pastoral tutor at a school in Leeds. She cannot afford her rent: “I’ve maxed out my credit cards and I owe money to my friends and family. I haven’t paid my gas, electric or council tax in a year.

“I care about young people’s education. It’s always been a big thing for me to see kids thrive, but this work doesn’t pay. It makes me feel worthless. I’m doing my best but feel so undervalued, it’s like I’m being punished for working in a school.”

Ms McKelvey said she’s doing her best to make ends meet, but the problem can only be solved by an overhaul to the housing system.

“Landlords don’t want to keep up their properties, and they always find a way to pass the costs onto us. If I was in a council property, I’d be paying £300 less in rent than I am now. But there are no council properties. We need more council homes.”

UNISON and Generation Rent are hosting research roundtables in April to gain more insight into the issues our members face, raise this with politicians and fight for improved rights, protections and affordable housing for private renters.

The roundtables, which are open to all union members who privately rent, will take place in mid-April and participants’ time will be reimbursed with gift vouchers.

Register your interest in the roundtables here

The article UNISON hosts housing roundtables with Generation Rent first appeared on the UNISON National site.

UNISON hosts housing roundtables with Generation Rent

UNISON is working with campaign group Generation Rent to improve conditions in the private rented sector in England.

As the Renters (Reform) Bill moves through Parliament, UNISON wants to ensure this legislation provides a lasting solution to our broken private rented system.

UNISON assistant policy officer Sylvia Jones said: “UNISON and Generation Rent share a vision that private renters deserve the right to a decent, secure and affordable home.

“Currently, private renters are at the sharp end of the housing crisis, with a higher proportion of their income going on housing costs, but often living in poorly maintained homes.

“With so many working people struggling to pay the rent, now is the time for the voices of renters to be heard and for politicians to wake up and introduce fairness in renting.”

UNISON member Ann McKelvey has worked in education for around 24 years and currently works as an employability skills and pastoral tutor at a school in Leeds. She cannot afford her rent: “I’ve maxed out my credit cards and I owe money to my friends and family. I haven’t paid my gas, electric or council tax in a year.

“I care about young people’s education. It’s always been a big thing for me to see kids thrive, but this work doesn’t pay. It makes me feel worthless. I’m doing my best but feel so undervalued, it’s like I’m being punished for working in a school.”

Ms McKelvey said she’s doing her best to make ends meet, but the problem can only be solved by an overhaul to the housing system.

“Landlords don’t want to keep up their properties, and they always find a way to pass the costs onto us. If I was in a council property, I’d be paying £300 less in rent than I am now. But there are no council properties. We need more council homes.”

UNISON and Generation Rent are hosting research roundtables in April to gain more insight into the issues our members face, raise this with politicians and fight for improved rights, protections and affordable housing for private renters.

The roundtables, which are open to all union members who privately rent, will take place in mid-April and participants’ time will be reimbursed with gift vouchers.

Register your interest in the roundtables here

The article UNISON hosts housing roundtables with Generation Rent first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Free events will help renters know their rights

The national voice for renters, Generation Rent, is running a Renters’ Rights Awareness Week from 16-23 October.

The week will consist of a series of free webinars and podcasts designed to give renters an opportunity to learn about their rights with the aim of improving their experience in the private rented sector. 

It will explore a variety of topics, including how to respond to the threat of an illegal eviction, how to afford your rent and what to do if a landlord won’t repair an issue in your home.

UNISON is affiliated to Generation Rent, which helps to ensure that private renters are fully informed of their rights as renters and their issues are heard by policymakers at both a local and national level.

UNISON is encouraging members who are private tenants to attend these events to be informed about their rights as well as to discuss their experiences with the Generation Rent team and other industry experts.

For more information and to sign up for the free online events, click here.

The article Free events will help renters know their rights first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Free events will help renters know their rights

The national voice for renters, Generation Rent, is running a Renters’ Rights Awareness Week from 16-23 October.

The week will consist of a series of free webinars and podcasts designed to give renters an opportunity to learn about their rights with the aim of improving their experience in the private rented sector. 

It will explore a variety of topics, including how to respond to the threat of an illegal eviction, how to afford your rent and what to do if a landlord won’t repair an issue in your home.

UNISON is affiliated to Generation Rent, which helps to ensure that private renters are fully informed of their rights as renters and their issues are heard by policymakers at both a local and national level.

UNISON is encouraging members who are private tenants to attend these events to be informed about their rights as well as to discuss their experiences with the Generation Rent team and other industry experts.

For more information and to sign up for the free online events, click here.

The article Free events will help renters know their rights first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Conference continues debate on the cost of living

National delegate conference turned its attention to the cost of living on Friday morning.

Conference debated a trio of motions on the issue: the first calling on the NEC to continue to prioritise campaigns on the issue; the second highlighting the compound effect of the crisis on private renters and the third on the disproportionate effect of the crisis on Black workers due to the ethnicity pay gap.

Moving the first motion, Yvonne Green told conference, “Public sector workers are worried about how they’ll pay their bills.”

Tina Roach warned that “the threat of poverty is as real today as it has ever been. The level of household debt currently exceeds two trillion pounds and is rising.

“Conference, as a nation, we should be eradicating poverty. It’s a disgrace [that we’re not].”

One speaker noted how the union’s new cost of living film which was shown earlier in the conference helps bring the crisis into “sharp relief.”

Watch the powerful new film here

Speaking on the second motion, Rosita Ellis, SE regional convenor said “the ramifications of poor housing extend far beyond our members. Estimates suggest poor housing costs the NHS £1.4bn a year.

“Regrettably these issues are not confined to the private sector but also apply to social housing.”

The motion called on the NEC to campaign for Section 21 no-fault evictions to be abolished, to campaign for a fair rent system and, among other things, to affiliate to Generation Rent and publicise the organisation’s campaigns to the union’s members.

The third of the set of motions was on the ‘ethnicity pay gap’, with the mover noting that: “If this is going to be a priority in the Year of Black Workers, branches need training and advice on how to negotiate with the employer.

“Training on how to secure the best practice on analysing and reporting the ethnic pay gap and getting the employer to take positive steps to reduce the gap.”

Hugo Pierre added, in debate on an amendment to the motion: “This NEC gives its backing to the Year of Black Workers, and urges all service groups, self-organised groups, regions and most importantly branches to actively engage.

“This amendment seeks to ask you to act, and not to wait. We don’t have to wait for the next general election and a Labour government to get the ethnicity pay gap down, we should be negotiating with councils that this is a part of their work.”

All three motions carried.

The article Conference continues debate on the cost of living first appeared on the UNISON National site.

High housing costs driving up poverty among public service workers, says UNISON  

High rents and mortgage payments are a cause of major financial stress for nearly a third of public service workers including cleaners, care staff and teaching assistants, says UNISON today (Friday).

A report commissioned by the union, based on a survey of more than 2,600 public service workers in the UK, shows housing costs have increased for more than three in five (63%).

The document Through the Roof highlights how a rapid rise in rent and mortgage payments is taking a significant toll, says UNISON.

The survey aimed to identify which groups were hardest hit by asking how many paid 60% or more of their household income on accommodation.

Almost a third (32%) of private renters did so, for housing association tenants it was a quarter (25%), council tenants a similar figure (24%), and nearly one in five (19%) of those paying a mortgage.

The high cost of housing combined with low pay means that nearly one in four (23%) public service workers are really struggling financially and cutting back on food and essentials.

Workers in the NHS, social care and local authority schools are among those worst affected, according to the findings.

The impact for public service staff of the high price of keeping a roof over their heads is that some are forced to live a long way from their workplace, says UNISON.

More than one in ten (12%) believe they are living too far from work but have little choice because they cannot afford to move closer. As a result they must spend a large proportion of their income on petrol or public transport, the union says.

Through the Roof outlines several recommendations for the government to act upon.

These include investment to increase the supply of all types of housing but especially social housing. Making homes accessible and affordable for public service key workers must be a priority, says UNISON, but so must increases to minimum wage levels.

The report also calls on ministers to allow councils to retain all the money they receive from property sales. This would enable them to make their own decisions on how it is used and invested.

UNISON head of local government Mike Short said: “Housing costs are driving up poverty among public service workers and their families.

“It’s unacceptable that cleaners, care staff and other frontline employees are at risk of destitution and forced to live in overcrowded, poor-quality homes far from their place of work.

“The government must take action including boosting wages for public service workers so they can afford decent housing.”

Notes to editors:
– Contact the UNISON press office for the full report which UNISON commissioned from Labour Research Department, an independent research organization. The survey ran from December 2022 to February 2023.
– UNISON is the UK’s largest union and the largest union in the NHS and in the ambulance sector, with more than 1.3 million members providing public services – in education, local government, the NHS, police service and energy. They are employed in the public, voluntary and private sectors.

Media contacts:
Anthony Barnes M: 07834 864794 E: a.barnes@unison.co.uk
Fatima Ayad M: 07508 080383 E: f.ayad@unison.co.uk

The article High housing costs driving up poverty among public service workers, says UNISON   first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Homes for all – housing day of action

A day of action to tackle the housing crisis in the UK is taking place on Saturday 11 February and UNISON members are being encouraged to take part.

The Homes for All campaign group comprising housing campaigners, trade unions, including UNISON, and community groups is calling on the UK Government to take action to:

  • Freeze rents in line with Scotland
  • End evictions during the cost of living crisis
  • Fund the rent freeze to protect social housing services

The cost of living crisis continues to have a huge impact on the housing costs of UNISON members, especially those who are privately renting.

Average rents in the UK have hit a record high and many renters, including UNISON members who provide the essential public services we rely on, pay well over a third of their income in rent and have little hope of saving enough for a home of their own.

Despite record high rents, some renters are not receiving high quality returns particularly in the private rented sector.

In many parts of the country, and more-so at the cheaper end of the market, rented housing is poor quality and renters need protection from eviction and from unaffordable rent increases.

The day of action takes place on Saturday 11 February from 12 noon at the Department of Levelling Up, 2 Marsham Street, London SW1P 4DF.

More information on how to support the day of action

Housing campaigning

In campaigning for stronger rights and higher standards across the housing sector, UNISON supports calls for renters to be protected, during the cost of living crisis, from inflationary rent rises, as is the case in Scotland.

UNISON believes that the government must fully fund the rent freeze for social housing tenants and ensure that social housing providers, especially councils, have additional funding to protect the provision of social housing. This includes protecting housing-related services, staffing and pay, and budgets for maintaining and delivering new homes.

As part of its campaigning, UNISON is also affiliated to Homes for All campaign group. Members affected by the cost of living crisis and struggling to pay their rents and meet household bills are encouraged to support the day of action.

The article Homes for all – housing day of action first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Take part in UNISON’s survey on the state off housing

The cost of living crisis is putting a squeeze on incomes and living standards. As a result, many people are struggling to pay expensive rents and mortgages on top of soaring energy and other household bills. 

Despite high rent costs, many people living in rented homes are struggling with disrepair.

UNISON is conducting a survey to find out more about the housing issues members are facing. All respondents will be entered into a prize draw for £50 worth of high street shopping vouchers.

Have your say here

In 2020, UNISON surveyed members on their experiences with housing, finding that three in five people (61%) were struggling to manage their housing costs. 

At the time, almost one in three (27.8%) said that the cost of housing is making them look outside of their public sector roles to find better-paid work.

Now, as the cost of living crisis bites, UNISON wants to know from members their experiences of housing in order to understand what the union’s campaigning priorities should be.

The article Take part in UNISON’s survey on the state off housing first appeared on the UNISON National site.