Yesterday the Prime Minister announced that, all private landlords will have to check the immigration status of new tenants or face a penalty. This rather took us by surprise at Shelter. After all, the coalition agreement notes that any new regulation will only be introduced if two others are cut – and we’ve not seen a willingness to bring in additional requirements on landlords, even where these would demonstrably improve renters’ lives.
At Shelter, we’re not in favour of anything … Read more
It’s Living Wage Week 2012. On Monday, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation and the Greater London Authority announced the 2012 rates for London and outside of London – £8.55 and £7.45 respectively.
All help for low-income families to afford a home is welcome. But reading the coverage of the Living Wage announcements, I was struck by the assumption that all that is needed to make a life free of poverty possible is to raise wage rates.
The fact is, though, that … Read more
Ok, it sounds like an insult, but this was the question asked today in the Times (£). It stands for ‘Graduates Renting, Employed, No Deposit’ – an increasing group of young-ish people priced out of owning a home.
Here at Shelter, we hear from ‘Grends’ all the time – debating with us and one another on Twitter and Facebook, and, more surprisingly, through our helpline and web services. Shelter helps anyone who needs us, and increasingly, many middle-income working … Read more