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Ruth Kelly speech on social housing
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Contact: Rachel Le Brocq Date: 28 Feb 2007 |
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On the 13 February 2007, The DCLG Secretary, Ruth Kelly MP (Lab, Bolton West) outlined Government thinking on the future of social housing in a speech to the Fabian Society.
In the speech she floated the idea that shared ownership schemes should give participants the opportunity to own as little as 10% of their property. Although she recognised that further work needed to be done to make such a scheme workable, she claimed that 1.7million (of the four million total) social housing tenants would like to buy a stake in their home but cannot afford to do so. She claimed this would give them not just an opportunity to build housing equity but also to get a stake in their communities.
This was expanded further expanded in a report by John Hills of the Centre for Analysis and Social Exclusion, to Ruth Kelly, looking at The Future Role of Social Housing in England. He recommended fundamental change to the role of social housing, away from one of just accommodating tenants to a system that is much more responsive to the needs (and particularly the changing needs) of tenants and supporting people’s livelihoods and boosting their wealth and life opportunities.
Ruth Kelly's speech can be viewed here.
