From UNISON's Housing News: UNISON has reacted angrily to the housing announcements included in the spending review. Although the details are still emerging, it seems clear that new social tenancies will cease. Whilst rents and tenancies will be guaranteed for all those currently in the sector, future tenants will pay rents at 80 per cent of the market rate. The coalition have also announced a £4 billion cut to the social housing budget.
Reacting to the changes, Dave Prentis said:
'The chancellor talked in his speech about how we have lost half a million social homes over the last 10 years. But he then went and cut the budget for new homes by nearly a half. Coming alongside rents at 80 per cent of market rate, an attack on social tenancies and housing benefit cuts, today is not looking good for the public housing sector and those that rely on it. The coalition have demonstrated that they don't really care about the affordable housing crisis.'
The chancellor committed to continue with the decent homes programme and pledged 6 billion for the supporting people budget.
