UK 'Breaching Human Rights' Over Housing

The UK is in breach of its international human rights duties by failing to provide people with adequate homes in the face of a severe housing crisis, leading charities have claimed.

A reduction in social housing in England and inadequate, unaffordable rental accommodation in the private sector is driving a growing number of families into homelessness, the organisations warn in a report.

Produced by the group Just Fair, whose members include Crisis, Oxfam, Amnesty International, Save (LSE: 0O98.L - news) the Children and UNICEF UK, the report will be presented at the UN Committee on Economic Cultural and Social Rights later today.

It (Other OTC: ITGL - news) argues that the fact the number of individuals forced to sleep rough has risen by 55% since 2010 - with 280,000 households at risk of homelessness - is a breach of the UK's international obligations.

The group is also citing growing pressure pushing families away from social housing into the private rental sector, where properties are increasingly unaffordable and insecure.

A total of 29% of private rental properties are unaffordable, according to the report, failing to meet basic standards of health, safety and habitability.

"Housing is really about how we want our society to be, how much social inclusion we want there to be - so when we end up with a huge swathe of society that's falling through the cracks I think that shows a real lack of care and commitment," said Jessie Hohmann, lecturer in law at Queen Mary University, who wrote the report.

One mother facing eviction and homelessness with her three children and disabled elderly mother said she was already living in dismal temporary accommodation. 

"People don't even believe that people live here, (they) think that this house is empty," said Southwark Council tenant Aminatta Sellu.

Southwark Council said that Ms Sellu was intentionally homeless having built up substantial rent arrears, and they had no duty to house her.

"With so much demand for our council homes I think the 11,000 people on our housing waiting list would find it difficult to understand why we gave preference over them to someone who has refused to pay their bills," said Councillor Richard Livingstone, cabinet member for housing.

But anti-eviction protestors, who blockaded Ms Sellu's flat, postponing her eviction, said her case was symptomatic of the unaffordability of the private rental sector, where a growing number of families are being transferred from social housing.

The Government has acknowledged the housing shortage, but attributed it to the financial crisis.

A spokesperson from the Department for Communities and Local Government said: "The 2008 economic crash devastated the housebuilding industry, leading to the lowest levels of starts for any peacetime year since the 1920s.

"We have got Britain building again … our £1bn investment has helped prevent almost a million households from becoming homeless (Other OTC: UBGXF - news) ."