Union Movement Unites In Campaign for Social Housing

The trade union movement has united to support a call by construction union UCATT for a huge increase in the building of social housing.  The TUC Congress in Brighton overwhelmingly supported a motion moved by UCATT which lambasted the Conservative-led Government’s record on social housing and called for a five point plan to begin to resolve the housing crisis.  Under the present Government homelessness has risen by 14%, families living in bed and breakfast have increased by 44%, private rents have increased by 26% and there are currently 5 million people on housing waiting lists. Investment in social housing fell by a massive 25% in the previous quarter compared to the same period in 2011. Last year in the six months up to September 2011, there were just 259 properties for social rent completed. At least 240,000 new homes are needed each year to meet demand.  Read more on the UCATT website.