MPs demand more support as rent arrears create housing barriers

The government has hinted at legislation to protect domestic abuse victims from being denied social housing due to rent arrears.

Currently, victims of domestic abuse can be disqualified from getting a social home if they are in rent arrears.

Under the Social Housing Bill, social housing landlords would also have powers to evict perpetrators rather than forcing victims from their homes.

Can face barriers when applying for social housing

Speaking in Parliament, MPs from across the political spectrum raised concerns with Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook that rent arrears can prevent domestic abuse survivors from securing a tenancy or moving from temporary accommodation, without taking into account whether the debt resulted from domestic abuse.

In response, Mr Pennycook said: “We appreciate fully that survivors of domestic abuse with debt can face barriers when applying for social housing.

“We continue to believe that guidance is the best route to resolving this issue, but we have been clear, that if that guidance proves insufficient, we do have the option of making regulations to amend the relevant legislation.”

Safe and secure home

Labour MPs welcomed the government’s commitment to prioritising domestic abuse survivors for social housing, but called for greater support for those moving into unfurnished properties.

Labour MP Andrew Cooper told the debate: “Escaping an abusive relationship often requires people to leave home at extremely short notice, taking with them little more than a few personal belongings. Worse, many survivors have been subjected to financial abuse, leaving them without savings, access to credit or the means to replace the items needed to create a new, safe and secure home.

“While it is fundamentally important that victims of domestic abuse are always given priority access to social housing, the reality is that many of the allocated properties are entirely unfurnished.

“As a result, families who have already experienced trauma can find themselves moving into an empty property without beds, kitchen appliances, flooring, curtains or other basic household items. In those circumstances, the challenge is not simply accessing housing, but being able to live in it. A safe and secure home should be the foundation from which survivors rebuild their lives, not the start of another period of hardship.”

Protect existing social housing stock

As previously reported by Property118, under the social housing bill, the government says it will protect existing social housing stock and incentivise the building of more social homes by reforming the Right to Buy scheme.

The bill includes a range of further reforms, including increasing the eligibility requirement for Right to Buy to 10 years, amending percentage discounts to better align with the new maximum cash discounts, and exempting newly built social housing from Right to Buy for 35 years.