Housing Bill could cause care staffing shortage, research finds

New research by the London School of Economics has found that The Housing Bill could push numerous social housing tenants away from the capital, resulting in a recruitment crisis in the care sector.

The study, commissioned by Camden Council, examines the impact of the Housing and Planning Bill on the employment of social tenants. It found that the regulations will reduce the quantity of affordable housing in boroughs such as Camden, squeezing tenants out of London.

The research highlighted that many social housing tenants worked in childcare and social care and the Bill could mean staff are forced to relocate leaving certain areas without adequate numbers of care staff.

Leader of Camden Council Sarah Hayward said: “The evidence shows that the central London boroughs have successful economies because they have a mix of low, middle and high income earners who live close to their workplaces. The bill puts this productive dynamic at huge risk and it's clear that the government hasn't done any proper research - that's why we commissioned LSE.

“The Bill will force people into expensive private rented property or out of London completely, leaving employers struggling to access a workforce for lower and medium income roles. It's clear that the time has come for the government to look again at its policies and to completely rethink the Housing Bill before it's too late and our economy suffers as a result.”

Kath Scanlon, assistant professorial research fellow at LSE London, said: “We found that social tenants are more likely to work in particular employment sectors, and these sectors could be dramatically affected by a loss of social housing. These include the care professions, childcare, and care for the elderly, for example.

“The need for such services in boroughs like Camden is growing and providers are already losing workers because of London's cost of housing.”