United Kingdom

UN Special Rapporteur on adequate housing concludes UK visit

Published in Friday September 13th, 2013 In In the media

UNA-UK: The UN’s Special Rapporteur on adequate housing, Raquel Rolnik, has concluded a two-week official visit to the UK during which she visited London, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Belfast and Manchester.

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UN expert says dismantling of Housing Executive could lead to political abuse

Published in Friday September 13th, 2013 In In the media

The Detail: An United Nations official has warned that a decision to strip the Housing Executive of responsibility for social housing could lead to political abuse of the system. UN Special Rapporteur Raquel Rolnik visited Northern Ireland as part of a fact-finding mission on the right to adequate housing in the UK.

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UN aide defiant over bedroom tax

Published in Friday September 13th, 2013

A United Nations official has refused to back down over criticism of the so-called “bedroom tax” after calls from Tory chairman Grant Shapps for her to apologise.

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Author of bedroom tax report defends findings after government’s attack

Published in Friday September 13th, 2013 In In the media

The Guardian Responding to the criticism in titles such as the Daily Mail and Daily Express, Rolnik told the Guardian: “My nationality is of no relevance to my role as a special rapporteur.” She added: “What should matter is how to address the housing issues in the UK in a way that respects the rights of people living in the UK.”

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The world is watching

Published in Friday September 13th, 2013 In Opinion

Inside Housing: Usually the United Nations hits UK headlines in an oblique manner – Security Council decisions (or the lack of them) or corralling efforts to respond to natural disasters. Yet this week the initial report by UN rapporteur Raquel Rolnik has changed all that, according to Stuart Macdonald.

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Bedroom tax row: UN official hits back at Tory MPs

Published in Friday September 13th, 2013

UN official Raquel Rolnik puts up a feisty defence against Conservative condemnation and accusations from MP Nadhim Zahawi that she is being used as a “political football”.

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UN official will urge government to fund social housing

Published in Friday September 13th, 2013 In In the media

Inside Housing In her report to the UN Human Rights Council, to be published in March, she will advise that grant funding for developing social homes should be renewed, she told Inside Housing.

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No step backwards

Published in Friday September 13th, 2013 In Opinion

Inside Housing: The right to an adequate standard of living is intended to be ‘progressive’, in other words the standard of housing provision is meant to steadily improve. There should be no backwards steps, says Grainia Long.

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Bedroom tax is a human rights issue

Published in Friday September 13th, 2013 In In the media

The Guardian It really comes to something when the UN special investigator on housing, more familiar with shanty towns and favelas, has expressed herself so fiercely on the subject of the UK bedroom tax. “I was very shocked to hear how people really feel abused in their human rights by this decision and why – being so vulnerable – they should pay for the cost of the economic downturn, which was brought about by the financial crisis,” said Raquel Rolnik.

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UN Special Rapporteur assesses the UK housing condition

Published in Thursday September 12th, 2013

A United Nations investigator looked at Britain’s benefit system, specifically the “Bedroom Tax” she pronounced herself shocked by it. The law requires anyone in social using to pay a fee – from their welfare payments – if they have a spare room.

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