Story perspectives

Charity Urges Boost in Social Housing Amid Crisis

12/11/2025

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Summary

Story summary

Crisis, the homelessness charity, reports that England's benefits system excludes the poorest from social housing intended for them.
Seventy percent of arrears cases are excluded from housing registers due to affordability tests.
Scotland requires housing associations to rehouse homeless households, yielding double the share of new social lettings compared with England.
Crisis calls for a substantial increase in social housing construction to prevent the poorest from continuing to struggle.

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Story summary

Crisis, the homelessness charity, reports that England's benefits system excludes the poorest from social housing intended for them.
Seventy percent of arrears cases are excluded from housing registers due to affordability tests.
Scotland requires housing associations to rehouse homeless households, yielding double the share of new social lettings compared with England.
Crisis calls for a substantial increase in social housing construction to prevent the poorest from continuing to struggle.