There is a Housing Crisis in Britain. Capitalism and neoliberalism has failed us on one of the most basic things we need as humans – somewhere to live safely. 8.5 million people don’t have access to adequate housing, this has a direct relationship on child poverty, 4.3 million children – 30% of the total – are living in relative poverty.

The housing crisis is not just young students out of university; “Generation Rent.” All generations are affected and if we let it carry on, it will only  get worse including for those  who struggle to pay rent on their pension.

Councils spend millions on emergency accommodation, mainly B&Bs. As of October 2024, over 323,000 households are on waiting lists for social housing in London alone.

Without social housing, vital workers  are unable to do their jobs and live comfortably, people doing (badly paid) social care for instance are forced to live miles away from where they work.

The “right to buy” your council house has led to this social crisis. The Tory government failed on its promise to replace the social housing it allowed to be  sold off. This is the consequence of seeing housing as a commodity and not a right.

We need to fight the massive growth in second or third homes. We support initiatives such as the referendum in Whitby, North Yorkshire that called for a ban on selling new properties as second homes. Also the decision of the Senedd in Cymru/Wales to allow local councils to charge up to 300% of the standard council tax rate on long-term empty and second homes is a good development.

Our legal system and political parties prioritise landlords over tenants – they act with impunity and engorge themselves off our rents.

Housing is more than just a roof over our heads. It’s security. This lack of security contributes to another crisis, a crisis of mental health.

We need a revolution in housing and a mass movement to fight for it!

Anticapitalist Resistance fights for

• Introduction of rent controls now
• Abolish Section 21 No Fault Evictions
• An end to housing benefit caps
• Introduce mandatory increases in council tax on long term empty properties to 300%.
• A massive programme of retrofitting to improve housing stock and reduce energy use.
• For significant financing of local councils to allow them to build more social housing.
• Allow councils to compulsory purchase long term empty properties at massive reductions.
• Pressure the Labour government to acquire land through a Compulsory Purchase Orders to build social infrastructure  and new housing developments.
• Make green planning easier to build accessible, eco-homes.
• Restore and expand squatting rights and seize long term empty properties.
• Socialise under democratic control the building companies, developers and the banks that finance them
• Ultimately, fight to nationalise all land and decommodify housing so it is a social good and not just another product.

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