Social housing in UK

Housing plays a central role by providing a roof; it ensures a quality life to us in the community and society that we're all a part of.  But many people unfortunately cannot make it to buying a house of their own, so they simply choose to rent and stay. However, you might not be as lucky in today's market driven world to get a well, furnished house at a low price.  This situation is true for all the people of all the countries. Needless to say that such situation also arises in fist world or developed countries.  This doesn't mean that there is no way out to get your head under a roof; called home, even at if you don't earn much, for there is the provision of social housing facility.

What is Social Housing?

Social housing UK is a governmental provision in UK, where the houses are being rented at lower prices, much more affordable, with secured tenure to the people who are in need of house and have no option left than being homeless.  Social housing as a facility is always provided by councils and non-profit organizations. There are many housing associations which provide such services. In UK, the service of social housing is provided by several of such organizations apart from the government side.

The main aim behind the service is to provide rented housed to low income group people at affordable rents ensuring them with secured tenancy.  Further, unlike private rented sector, in which there are no need criteria, where the deal is fixed on the basis of the money you're able to shed, the home under social housing is rented only and only if you are eligible on certain criteria, the most important being, that you're in utter need of a roof above your head and that you've zero options left and hence have come to rescue yourselves at the behest of social housing facilities.

According to the 2005 statistics, from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM), there are 20.5 million residential in England, of that; 3.6 million are classified as "Social Rented houses".  However, at present, the situation is gloomy as UK housing associations are facing hikes in their pension contributions after the Social Housing Pension Scheme deficit soared to over £1 billion in the past three years.  Else from that, keeping in mind the poor economy of UK, it is observed that there shall be a rise in the demand for social housing.  Under the current bad economic scenario faced by UK, the growth of the social housing sector would remain at around 2.5% .  This means demand to get doubled than the supply.

All, in all, with the present circumstances at the way, for all those on the brink of homelessness, has only an option of social rented houses, marking a ray of hope.  But, even in that, with factors such as rising rents in private sector, unemployment, poor economic performance and stagnant economy, there could be much more demand for rented houses and more so for social rented houses. Unable to contain the demand, might lend UK government and population into a grim state of affairs. Having to know this, the government should seriously consider steps to regulate the social housing market, housing market on whole and work on bettering the economy.

Posted in: private rented sector, residential in England, secured tenancy, secured tenure, social housing, Social Housing Pension Scheme, Social housing UK, Social Rented houses, UK housing associations