From time to time, we all get into difficulty managing our money. A boiler breaking, a car needing repair, a bigger heating bill than expected. These things can hit us hard and always seem to be poorly timed, particularly if money is already tight. We all have different methods of coping, and different ways of ensuring we keep on top of all the other bills and rent. Some people try to manage by taking the hit in one go; whereas … Read more
Category: Renting
General election 2019: A key moment to invest in local housing allowance
For a long time, we’ve made a very clear argument that housing benefit for private renters, or local housing allowance (LHA), needs to be lifted up so that it covers the cost of renting.
LHA is now so far below the cost of renting in almost all areas of England that people are having to make impossible decisions about whether they cut back on food for their families or on heating their homes during winter.
This is why it’s incredibly … Read more
How renters could decide the next government
In April, the government made private renters the promise of a generation: to end section 21 ‘no-fault’ evictions. This outdated law currently sees renters turfed out of their home with just eight weeks’ notice and for no good reason. It’s a major contributor to homelessness too. But six months on, as the battle over Brexit rages on, the government risks losing sight of the reasons for this ambitious change – and that will be at its own expense, as well … Read more
Building a more positive future: how Shelter works with former offenders
When Shelter was approached to deliver housing and debt advice for offenders and those leaving custody, we were especially keen to help.
Offenders are often at risk of losing their tenancies when they enter custody, making it extremely difficult for them to resettle back into the community and build new lives for themselves upon their release.
That’s why Shelter is working in prisons and in community locations across the North East and North West, delivering support on housing and debt to prisoners and former offenders.
We work … Read more
Writing your will: FAQs
Fiona Wilson
Leaving behind something for the people or causes you care about requires an up to date will. But why is it so important?
Fiona Wilson, a Partner at Hempsons Solicitors, shares an insider’s perspective.
The importance of having a will‘If you had to give away everything you own today to your loved ones, you’d want to think carefully about how best to do this. The same is true after you die.
‘If you want to … Read more
One paycheque away from losing their home
Every month is a struggle for mum of three Joanna. Despite working as a dinner lady at a local primary school, her paycheque is nowhere near enough to cover her rent and pay for food, bills, and all the other costs associated with supporting a family.
‘It’s a constant battle trying to make things work,’ Joanna tells Shelter. ‘When I go to the supermarket, the first place I’m looking is in the reduced section. This is normal to me. It’s … Read more
Renters want rent control – and it’s not just about the money
There’s no doubt that private renters are being hit hard by the housing emergency. With rents on the rise and the prospect of eviction hanging over our heads, it’s no surprise there’s an appetite for something to be done. Are rent controls the answer? What do renters themselves think?
A new study by the Fabian Society gives an insight into what renters think about when we talk about controlling rents – and it isn’t necessarily what you’d think.
The study, … Read more
The five-week wait is five weeks too long
Yesterday, we published a report on how the people who use our services have been impacted by Universal Credit (UC). This highlights the issues the introduction of UC has caused, drawing on the voices and experiences of people affected, as well as in depth analysis of the data they have provided. Our findings have helped inform our key recommendations for moving forwards, so if the newly re-appointed Secretary of State for Department for Work and Pensions, Amber Rudd, needs some … Read more
From the Frontline: the ongoing impact of welfare reform
The consequences of the broken housing safety net are laid bare in our new report, From the Frontline. This shines a light on the thousands of people we help every year who are being pushed to the point of crisis due to the continued impact of welfare reform and the introduction of Universal Credit (UC).
The freeze to Local Housing Allowance (LHA), which is housing benefit for those renting privately, is forcing people to make the impossible choice between … Read more
One year of campaigning against DSS discrimination
August 2018 marked the launch of our DSS discrimination campaign. It’s an issue we were repeatedly seeing highlighted as one of the most consistent and pernicious problems our clients were encountering.
Our advisers spend hours every week desperately searching for properties within our clients’ price-range, only to then have the options reduced further or eliminated completely by ‘no DSS’ policies. Seeing this clause on adverts for privately rented properties means that if you receive some or all of your income … Read more
Landlords for good
Here at Shelter, we often hear from landlords who are making a positive difference in their tenants’ lives and playing a part in addressing the housing emergency. We wanted to celebrate these great landlords, who show that owning houses is about more than making profits – it’s about providing homes.
Alison’s storyI became a landlord at the age of 36 when I met my partner and together we bought a two-bed house in south London without selling the flat … Read more
Sadiq Khan’s vision for a post-Section 21 world
In a hopeful day for London’s renters, the Mayor has shared his vision for private renting.
For too long, renters in the capital and across the country have been denied the security they need in the place they call home. With insecure tenancies and spiralling costs, people who rent are at the mercy of their landlord. Too often they are unable to put down roots in the place they live.
But now Mayor of London Sadiq Khan’s London Blueprint lays … Read more