Worklessness and Social Housing: A Look behind the Numbers

Out-of-work people living in social housing are too often referred to as one big group with the same enduring stigma. Around half (52%) of working-age people who live in social housing are not working, compared to just 29% in private tenures. The sector undeniably houses a significant proportion of unemployed and economically inactive people. Unsurprisingly it also provides the important function of sheltering society’s most vulnerable people, for example disabled people and single parents. In many circumstances, worklessness is largely the result of these disadvantages. A key point to understand is that only 10% of this population can actually be classified as unemployed. A much larger group of 40% is economically inactive. So what’s the story behind these 40% economically inactive social renters who haven’t been looking for work? Read more on the Guardian website.