Who can argue against making British workers and veterans the priority for social housing? Given the limited stock of housing, wouldn’t it be monstrously unfair not to put those in work and those who fought for the country first? Well, of course so much of our public policy in the last few decades has been illogical and monstrously unfair.
And so, as a few weeks ago when I wrote in support of Reform’s announcement to ban foreigners from council homes, I find myself in agreement with the proposals put forward by Richard Tice yesterday that council housing allocation should prioritise young British married working couples with children, along with military veterans.
Overhauling the system is well overdue. The latest English Housing Survey revealed that in 59 per cent – almost two and a half million – of social-rented households the lead householder does not work. Meanwhile, many in work struggle to afford a home. That same survey found that of the adults living with others because they could not afford their own accommodation, three quarters were in work and most commonly they worked 30 hours per week or more. It is telling that the outrage-mongers never seem to find it in themselves to express any outrage about this.
