A safe and secure home

The problem

What should we do to ensure that London’s children are able to live in good quality, affordable homes?

London house prices are rising by more than 20% annually according to latest ONS figures. The proportion of people living in the private rented sector is rising, with owner occupation falling.  Many families find themselves trapped in high cost and low quality housing, with little prospect of the secure and affordable home their children need.  Nearly 50,000 homeless families are living in limbo in temporary accommodation and almost 400,000 children are growing up in overcrowded conditions, which impact on their health, education and life chances.  At the same time, around 3,700 vulnerable 16 and 17 year olds present as homeless to London boroughs every year.   The definition of affordable housing has changed so that much higher rents are included and security of tenure is eroded.

The next Mayor should commit to ensuring a safe and secure home for every child in London.

We call on all candidates to:

• Work to improve the quality, affordability and stability of the private rented sector (PRS) by influencing central government legislative approach and/or securing additional powers around the PRS in London
• Commit to a target for at least 50,000 new homes built each year with at least 30 per cent for social rent
• Commit to halving the numbers of children living in overcrowded housing by 2020 and engage with local authorities to deliver this objective locally.