UN Report by Raquel Rolnik on UK Hoising and the Bedroom Tax

Report of the Special Rapporteur on adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living, and on the right to non-discrimination in this context, Raquel Rolnik

1. At the invitation of the central Government, the Special Rapporteur on adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living, and on the right to non-discrimination in this context, undertook an official visit to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from 29 August to 11 September 2013. The purpose of the visit was to examine the realization of the right to adequate housing in the light of existing international human rights standards.

Conclusions and recommendations

76. The Special Rapporteur commends the United Kingdom for its history of ensuring that low- and middle-income households have access to adequate housing and have been protected from insecure tenure forms and poor housing conditions. People in the United Kingdom have a deeply anchored trust in their right to housing, regardless of income or other status.
77. Some of the policies and practices that played a role in ensuring access to affordable and well-located housing, facilitating enjoyment of the benefits of mixed neighborhoods in urban centres, and embedding housing in the social safety net serve as inspiration around the world. The Special Rapporteur praises the priority given to social and affordable housing by various Governments over time, including through  public funding for specific housing-related policies.
78. It is against this background that the present situation ought to be assessed. According to the principle of progressive realization in the right to adequate housing, States are bound to provide an equal or better level of enjoyment of a particular right, taking special care to avoid unjustified retrogressive measures. This principle requires that States examine themselves against their own legislation and policies, including in times of austerity, and make every effort to ensure that available resources are distributed fairly, consistently and in a manner that protects the most vulnerable. This principle is not foreign to the United Kingdom, judging from its experience of targeted policies, including in the aftermath of two devastating wars.
79. The Special Rapporteur regrets that some policies and practices which have resulted in the progressive realization of the right to adequate housing are being eroded, and that the structural shape of the housing sector has changed to the detriment of the most vulnerable. She expresses her concern that recent measures are contributing also to an increased vulnerability of those who, until a few years ago, were protected.
80. In light of these conclusions, the Special Rapporteur wishes to make the following recommendations to the central Government and devolved administrations, as applicable:
(a) Assess and evaluate the impact of the welfare reform in relation to the right to adequate housing of the most vulnerable individuals and groups, in light of existing data and evidence; consider whether particular measures are having a disproportionate impact on specific groups; assess whether the overall costs of the implementation of some reforms might outweigh the savings intended, thereby violating the State’s obligation to use the maximum of available resources; and consider alternative avenues to achieve similar objectives without affecting the poorest or most vulnerable;
(b) In particular, the removal of the spare-room subsidy should be suspended immediately and be fully re-evaluated in light of the evidence of its negative impacts on the right to adequate housing and general well-being of many vulnerable individuals and households;

The full report is here...

http://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/HRC/RegularSessions/Session25/Documents/A_HRC_25_54_Add.2_ENG.DOC

An independent report and what a terrible indictment it is of this government and their policies towards the poorest and most vulnerable in our society.

Get them out.

Oh, I can hear the squarking now about how she is mad and how dare she tell us etc. They don't like it up 'em Mr Mannering!

I wonder who will be the first one to start screaming.

And yet some continue to defend this scumbag government on housing issues like the bedroom tax, I totally agree Irn, get these despisers of the poor coalition government out, or Cameron and Osborne may just receive the blonde tints to the head.

Bloody mummies boys educated at Eton.

Well, re the floods, Pickles has just said we are a very rich nation!

Sassy wrote:Well, re the floods, Pickles has just said we are a very rich nation!  

...rich in water levels!  

A shame though, I saw a lass on the news down there who was trying her best to help folk all she could, bit she couldn't do much in that water, and she started crying and pleading for a Cameron to make his way down there, why the hell are the government always so reluctant to help their own people in a crisis eh?

Yep, I think he might regret saying that.

Great to see this report from the UN supporting Labour. I think you will find she is Brazilian. Brazil has a great track record of looking after it's street children so it is really gratifying to be lectured to by her. A wonderful example of hypocrisy.

Always good to get an unbiased outsider's opinion.

labour revival wrote:Great to see this report from the UN supporting Labour. I think you will find she is Brazilian. Brazil has a great track record of looking after it's street children so it is really gratifying to be lectured to by her. A wonderful example of hypocrisy.

You're giving us your views on Raquel Rolnik and the housing situation in Brazil but what's your views on the report?

A total shambles and it is difficult to take it seriously given my comments about Brazil.

The UK expenditure on welfare is in the top 10%. That says it all.

I believe there has to be a balance between fairness to workers who pay taxes and those that don't. Is this lady unbiased is she hell as like.

labour revival wrote:A total shambles and it is difficult to take it seriously given my comments about Brazil.

The UK expenditure on welfare is in the top 10%. That says it all.

I believe there has to be a balance between fairness to workers who pay taxes and those that don't. Is this lady unbiased is she hell as like.

Overall she has actually praised the UK on much of it's social housing policies.

But the Bedroom Tax chum. What's your views on that particular part of the report.