UK housing crisis - a return to the 80s

The Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) says it fears a return to the poor housing standards of the 1980s.

It warns that cuts in public spending on housing have led to rising levels of homelessness, more families living in bed and breakfast accommodation, increasing private sector rents and a growing number of complaints about unscrupulous landlords.

Councils are also saving money by cutting back environmental health enforcement activity, with fewer inspections and investigations of sub-standard housing.

CIEH Head of Policy David Kidney said:

"The CIEH has a number of serious concerns about the implications of the Government’s short sighted approach to housing policy in this country."

“Government cuts of around 90 percent to the housing budget will affect some of the most vulnerable members of the community such as the elderly, single mothers and asylum seekers. Coupled with this, local authority cuts will curtail the ability of our members – environmental health practitioners – to police and regulate private rented sector."

Kidney was speaking ahead of the CIEH’s annual Health and Housing Conference on 17 May.