Tens Of Thousands Made Homeless In UK

Tens of thousands in the UK have been made homeless since the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic despite an ostensible government ban on tenant evictions. Since April this year, only eight months ago, over 46,000 people have been thrown out on the streets and another 45,000 left facing the same fate. These devastating figures were revealed by the Guardian through a Freedom of Information request. Responses from 204 local councils showed that 36,359 people had been threatened with homelessness since the pandemic started, 6,184 people had received Section 21 eviction notices, and a further 46,894 people had already been made homeless. Section 21 allow landlords to remove tenants with two months' notice once their fixed-term contract has ended, without giving a reason. Read more on the World Socialist website.

https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/11/23/home-n23.html

Barely Any “Affordable” Housing Being Built In The UK

Practically no affordable homes are being built in the UK, even according to the government’s own dubious definition of “affordability.” The vast majority of new apartments are built either for the well-off or as buy-to-lets at exorbitant rents. Responsibility for this crisis in housing lies not just with the Conservative government, but with Labour, the party that runs most borough councils in London, as well as the local authorities in every major city. Planning documents researched by the Guardian show that of 14,667 new homes built in Manchester in the last two years, none met even the government’s criteria of “affordability.” Read more on the World Socialist website.

http://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2018/03/22/affo-m22.html