We can't end homelessness or build social housing without political parties deciding to make it a priority. That's why the general election on 4th July creates a vital opportunity to get ending the housing emergency on the agenda.
Building social housing gives people a solid foundation - and the chance to build happy, healthy lives.
But right now, we're losing more social homes than we're building whilst a record number of families are stuck for years on waiting lists for social homes that disappearing.
We can build more social homes - we've done it before! With the country going to the polls on 4th July we can use this opportunity to get commitments from politicians who want your vote.
Our campaigning aims to secure these commitments, but we need your support.
Donate today, join our fight, and let's send political parties a clear message that they must commit to building 90,000 quality social homes a year.
The long-term security and genuine affordability of social housing helps people put down roots, living near to where they work and where they grew up. It lets children stay close to their friends and thrive at school. It can shape positive futures and improve the health of whole communities.
Together, we can make change happen so a new generation can be proud to say: We are Made in Social Housing.
Social housing is the answer to the housing emergency.
A generation has been shut out of the social housing they badly need, failed by successive governments.
In the last four decades we've lost twice as many social homes than we've gained, leaving us with a huge shortage and nearly 1.3 million household on the waiting list for social housing.
But recent research by Shelter and the National Housing Federation found that building 90,000 social homes a year would pay for itself within three years, add over £50 billion to the economy over 30 years, and directly support 140,000 jobs in the first year.
Put simply, it’s a no-brainer.
The worsening housing emergency is a political choice. And it will only change with political will.
With a general election in less than 6 weeks, we need to fight our biggest campaign to get a commitment from every political party to build the social homes this country is crying out for.
40,000 people have already got involved in the campaign. And we're already speaking with parliamentary candidates and party members about the desperate need for a new generation of social rent homes.
We're asking you to stand with us and do all that we can in the run up to the election and beyond, to get social housing on the agenda - and keep it there.
Donate today and you will help:
- Persuade the public to back social housing – through local and national campaigns that raise the importance of the housing emergency with the public and within communities, so they can join our call for change and make this election a Vote for Home.
- Grow our movement of supporters – engaging, recruiting and mobilising new supporters to take action on the housing emergency. More supporters help us to put more pressure on political parties to commit to building more social homes.
- Build our influence – through campaigns and activities to engage MP candidates and government. So we can build power and influence to hold them to account after the general election.
- Grow our coalition – we’re louder together, so we’re building a wide coalition of supporters, influencers, grassroots groups and coalition partners. Your support can help us reach these groups.
Some of our recent activities to get social housing on the agenda include:
- We're sending out Vote for Home campaign toolkits to help people all over the country to pressure politicians in their local areas to commit to building more social housing:
- We projected a 'social home' on to a long-term empty home in Liverpool to highlight how converting empty homes into social homes could kick start the delivery of the 90,000 a year we need:
- We held ‘housing hustings’ in Norwich, London and Birmingham to highlight the need for more social homes in these areas and push for social housing to be prioritised:
Donate today and join the fight to get social housing on the agenda.
Donations will be used to fund Shelter’s campaigning activities. Any funds raised in excess of the forecasted cost to run these activities, £500,000, will be used to fund Shelter’s and Shelter Scotland’s general work wherever they are needed most.
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