United Kingdom

Britain Pledges to Curtail Benefits for Immigrants

Published in Tuesday March 26th, 2013 In In the media

Prime Minister David Cameron promised more stringent rules Monday to reduce outsiders’ access to social, health and housing benefits, reflecting a fraught debate in Britain over the potential impact of increased immigration from southeast Europe that could fuel a rightist threat to his Conservative Party.
The prospect that citizens from Bulgaria and Romania could gain unfettered access to the British labor market under European Union rules has raised alarms among some Britons about competition for jobs, strengthening anti-immigrant sentiment and helping fuel the insurgent United Kingdom Independence Party.

Immigrants banned from housing waiting lists for up to five years

Published in Monday March 25th, 2013 In In the media

The Prime Minister will use a speech on Monday to make it clear that he believes tough new moves on housing are needed because Britain became a “soft touch” for immigrants during the years Labour were in power. In what is being billed as a landmark address on the subject, he will vow to bring to an end a situation where people can come to Britain and get benefits and public services without putting anything in, according to aides.

The right to adequate housing for women is crucial for the effectiveness of other rights – Newsletter #32

Published in Friday March 8th, 2013

The Special Rapporteur seizes the opportunity on this March 8th to reaffirm that the guarantee of the right to adequate housing for women is crucial for the effectiveness of other rights and for the promotion of autonomy in every sphere of their lives.

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Report on Security of Tenure will be presented on March – Newsletter #31

Published in Tuesday February 19th, 2013

On March 4th, Special Rapporteur Raquel Rolnik will present her first thematic report on security of tenure at the 22nd session of the UN Human Rights Council. In the same occasion, the Rapporteur will also present three mission reports.

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The Special Rapporteur will visit the UK in September

Published in Friday February 15th, 2013 In News

The Special Rapporteur will conduct a mission to the United Kingdom between September 2-16, 2013. More information soon!

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Austerity may be hitting many in the UK, but it’s the homeless suffering most acutely

Published in Monday January 28th, 2013 In Opinion

From the mid-90s until 2010, following a concerted effort from national government, the numbers of people sleeping rough steadily declined. Thousands of men and women were helped to find social housing or private rented accommodation, often subsidised by housing benefit. But from 2010 onwards the effects of the economic downturn has slammed all this progress into a dramatic reverse.

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New rights for the homeless come into force in Scotland

Published in Friday January 4th, 2013 In In the media

Legislation which aims to effectively end homelessness in Scotland has come into force. The change entitles anyone finding themselves homeless through no fault of their own to settled accommodation. Previously, only those classed as being in priority need – often families with children – had that right. It meets Scotland’s historic 2012 homelessness commitment, first set 10 years ago by the Labour/Lib Dem government.

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Green belt housing gamble in England – a bet too far?

Published in Thursday January 3rd, 2013 In Opinion

Watching two of the better-known rightwing thinktanks prime their intellectual cannons and bombard the same target is an impressive, if stomach-churning, sight. In the past week the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) and Policy Exchange, both of which have the ear of No 10 and No 11 Downing Street, have taken aim at the UK’s planning laws.
The IEA opted for a straightforward bombardment of the green belt. It argued that property developers should be allowed to give incentives to local communities to free up otherwise sacred ground. In other words, if developers see a profit in building on certain land, most likely in the London commuter belt, and the local parishioners can be successfully bought off, then what right does anyone have to intervene?

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London councils face questions for housing families outside the capital

Published in Wednesday December 5th, 2012 In In the media

The government has called in London councils over concerns that homelessness numbers are soaring, after research revealed the scale of plans being drawn up to send families to live in temporary housing outside the capital.
As cuts shrink the number of properties affordable to people on benefits, more than 20 London local councils have rented properties as far as Corby, Cornwall, Blackpool, Southampton and Newcastle to house families that could end up on the streets in London.

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‘Deserving’ families to get council housing priority in the UK

Published in Monday November 12th, 2012 In In the media

November 9, 2012 Homeless families will be rehoused to free up social homes for ex-servicemen and people who volunteer Working families, ex-servicemen and people who volunteer will get priority in council housing lists over those who are homeless or destitute under new Whitehall plans. Vulnerable homeless families will be rehoused in the private rented sector, often […]

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