Chancellor must set up a Covid Rent Debt Fund
Coronavirus has seen one in three private renters lose income, and Universal Credit is nowhere near enough to cover average rents. As a result half a million households are now in rent arrears of £730 on average, according to Citizens Advice.
We are calling on Rishi Sunak to use his Budget next month to create a Covid Rent Debt Fund to clear rent arrears and keep renters in their homes.
End of furlough puts 341,000 more renters at risk of debt
More than 340,000 private renters in Great Britain work in sectors at risk of lay-offs when the furlough scheme ends. This will add to the numbers of people who cannot cover their rent because housing benefit levels are inadequate, and are at risk of arrears and eviction.
We are calling on the government to raise Local Housing Allowance to cover the median rent so that families do not get into debt and to set up a fund to clear the debts of renters who have already got into serious arrears by compensating landlords up to 80% of the rent owed. We are also calling for fast-track abolition of Section 21 “no fault” evictions to prevent unnecessary hardship now that courts have reopened.
The Government has protected jobs, now it’s time to protect homes
Coronavirus has created a rent debt crisis. The Government must act now to ensure #NoHomeAtRisk.
A housing system for renters after COVID19
The past six weeks fighting this pandemic have reminded everyone how important a good home is – and how many renters don’t have one.
We won! Greater protections for renters
In the last 7 days, the Government have introduced new measures to protect renters.
How to protect renters affected by coronavirus
The Government must act now.
The pandemic affects us all – but private renters face particular problems. As the situation has escalated, renters have got in touch with us to express concern over self isolating safely in a shared house, and how they will pay their rent if they are forced to stay home, or lose their job. It’s not just those who fall ill with coronavirus who are affected – many renters who are self-employed or on zero-hours contracts have already lost work, and many more are nervous about redundancy, unpaid leave or losing hours. Renters spend over 40% of their earnings on rent, and as a result, two thirds of renters have no savings.