Study into the links between housing and life chances welcomed by the Housing Corporation
Housing Corporation News Release
20 March 2008 23/08
Study into the links between housing and life chances welcomed by the Housing Corporation
A Smith Institute study into the long term changes in the relationship between housing and life chances has today been welcomed by the Housing Corporation (Thursday 20 March 2008).
The Housing Corporation sponsored study looks at the life chances of people living in social housing from the Second World War up to the current day and provides a unique overview of the extent to which, since the inception of the welfare state, housing policy has delivered on its objectives and contributed to those of wider social policy.
The study shows that while the sector provides homes for some of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged members of society, affordable housing must be a means, not an end in itself. There is a huge challenge for the housing sector to break the link between social housing and multiple deprivation. And to ensure that the affordable homes that are provided give people a platform from which they can access opportunity and improve their life chances.
Overall, the research provides support for current policy to both prioritise creating more mixed communities and ensure that housing policy is better integrated with wider government priorities, for example, the recent focus on tackling concentrations of worklessness.
Steve Douglas, Housing Corporation Chief Executive said, "We welcome the study and its findings. The Housing Corporation believes that access to good-quality affordable housing can make a real difference to people's lives.
"As the Government pursues an increasingly ambitious vision for housing, it is important that we learn the lessons of the past. It is essential that we truly realise the benefits of providing good quality affordable homes in mixed communities, which support both the needs and aspirations of our growing and diverse population. The findings of this research will help to inform the priorities and approach of the new Homes and Communities Agency and Oftenant."
The Housing Corporation is commissioning further research to provide further evidence about the importance of place in the relationship between housing and life chances including the following:
- whether the life chances are affected by the type and location of housing as well as tenure;
- whether particular groups' life chances are affected by housing more than others;
- which particular aspects of deprivation housing impacts on.
Copies of the study are available from www.housingcorp.gov.uk
Ends.
For further press information, please contact Sandra White on 0207 393 2094.
Notes to editors:
1. The Smith Institute is an independent think tank set up to undertake research and education in issues that flow from the changing relationship between social values and economic imperatives .
2.The Housing Corporation is the Government's national affordable homes agency, responsible for investing in new affordable homes and regulating nearly 2,000 housing associations across England. The Corporation's £8 billion investment programme for 2008-11 is its biggest ever. Its previous investment programme of £3.9 billion for 2006-08 is funding 84,000 homes; 49,000 of these are for affordable rent, and 35,000 are for affordable sale through the Government's HomeBuy initiatives, helping people to get a foot on the property ladder.
3.The Housing Corporation is also responsible for regulating housing associations, which provide some two million homes across England.
4.The Housing Corporation is working with English Partnerships and Communities and Local Government to establish the proposed Homes and Communities Agency and Office for Tenants and Social Landlords.
