Construction union UCATT have described Government proposals to encourage elderly social housing tenants to move to smaller properties, in order to resolve the housing crisis, as the equivalent of using a "sticking plaster to stem a haemorrhage".

Grant Shapps the Conservative Housing Minister announced that some councils would receive funding to encourage elderly tenants, who have spare bedrooms to move to a smaller property.

Alan Ritchie, General Secretary of UCATT, said: "In principal this is a reasonable policy but it is the equivalent of using a sticking plaster to stem a haemorrhage. While it might make a few extra properties available it will barely affect the ever-growing housing waiting list where 1.8 million families need a home. To solve the problem you simply have to build more homes. The Government can’t achieve that as they are slashing the budget for new housing by 70%."

-- Advertisement --

The Government have stated that a total of 430,000 tenants (mainly the elderly) live in properties with two or more spare bedrooms. However there is no evidence that there are spare properties for the elderly to move into.

Mr Ritchie, added: "If the Government were serious about helping elderly tenants move to suitable smaller properties then, as part of a mass council housebuilding programme they would be building specially adapted properties designed for elderly tenants. Elderly vulnerable tenants will be reluctant to move to properties which do not meet their needs better than their current homes."

(CD)