The cost of living crisis continues to place huge pressures on people across the UK. Whilst Britain’s inflation fell slightly last month it remains historically high. The CIH briefing paper addresses the question: “what is the impact of the cost of living crisis on social housing tenants – and how should the sector respond?”

CIH examines what this means in practice, summarising the latest research and data available and highlights the disproportionate impact on Black and ethnic minority communities - who are 2.5 times more likely than White people to be in relative poverty.

Within the briefing, CIH reiterates its call for greater government support to readdress the impact of the crisis and help those most in need. Ahead of the Chancellor’s Spring Budget CIH is urging the government to:

• Restore local housing allowance rates to at least the 30th percentile and return to annual uprating
• Introduce a social tariff for the energy market
• Ban energy companies forcibly switching customers to prepayment meters
• Provide a concerted programme to raise the energy efficiency of existing housing stock and commit additional funding for energy efficiency measures in homes
• Increase investment and grant levels to provide more much needed social homes for rent
• More investment in existing and new supported housing to meet a range of needs.

Further details on CIH’s call for greater government support can be found in CIH’s submission to the Chancellor’s Spring Budget 2023.

More information on CIH cost of living briefing series, including previous briefings, can be accessed here.