Social housing consultation response 

Our response

The Government has introduced proposals to change the rules about who will be eligible and prioritised for social housing. As part of this, the Government have proposed to remove the local area connection test for care leavers.

Given the shortage of social or affordable housing across the country, we share the concerns of other organisations about the overall direction of these proposals in reducing access to social housing, rather than increasing the overall supply of social housing. However, given our remit, our response specifically focuses on issues affecting care-experienced young people.

Key Messages

1. We strongly support and welcome the proposal for care leavers to be exempt from local area connection tests for social housing.
2. We recommend that the exemption from local area connection tests be extended to all care-experienced young people who have spent time in the care system. This is in light of a concerning rise in the number of children being accommodated under Section 17, rather than Section 20 of the Children Act 1989, and consequently being denied the rights and entitlements that apply to care leavers when leaving the care system.
3. Young people who are, or have been subject to immigration controls and have spent time in care should be exempt from the residence test, as well as the local area connection test, reflecting the state’s responsibility to all care-experienced young people as a corporate parent.
4. Beyond these proposals, more needs to be done to ensure that young people leaving care are provided with safe, appropriate and affordable social housing options that can meet their housing needs.
5. It is essential that none of the proposals in this consultation adversely affect care-experienced young people’s access to appropriate social housing.