{"id":5120,"date":"2022-09-21T15:49:59","date_gmt":"2022-09-21T14:49:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.depaul.org.uk\/?post_type=blog&p=5120"},"modified":"2023-08-18T10:48:18","modified_gmt":"2023-08-18T09:48:18","slug":"generation-rent-young-people-and-the-housing-crisis","status":"publish","type":"blog","link":"https:\/\/www.depaul.org.uk\/blog\/generation-rent-young-people-and-the-housing-crisis\/","title":{"rendered":"Generation rent: Young people and the housing crisis"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The UK is ensnared in a housing crisis. With a shortage of homes, and wait lists for social homes surpassing the million threshold<\/a>, renting has become the only option for many people. Yet record high rent prices, soaring energy bills and rising food prices, mean that even renting is becoming unaffordable, particularly for young people.<\/p>\n

Recent data shows people under-30 are spending more than 30% of their income on rent<\/a>, more than any other age group.
\nThis comes at a time when housing benefit \u2013 determined by Local Housing Allowance rates \u2013 remains frozen at 2019 levels, and the private market is more precarious than ever with ‘no fault’ evictions up 76% from the previous year<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Depaul\u2019s peer housing project<\/h2>\n

Young people are disproportionately affected by the housing crisis, as Depaul\u2019s Housing coordinator, Kiran explains; \u201cThis age group \u2013 between 18-25 \u2013 they are at real disadvantage when finding decent housing, because they are not earning the kind of salaries needed. \u201cThey\u2019ve got no chance of renting, let alone owning their own home.\u201d<\/p>\n

That\u2019s why at Depaul, we\u2019ve taken things into our own hands. Our peer housing project<\/a>, set up in partnership with Commonweal Housing<\/a>, provides young people with safe and suitable housing, with rents set at an affordable price for those on low-incomes.<\/p>\n

Each house has a modern kitchen, dining area, bathroom and garden, as well as a private bedroom. Ruth, 24, explains how it works:
\n\u201cI have two flat mates and we\u2019re all in the same age-bracket. I have my own room, and my own place. If there wasn\u2019t this option, I don\u2019t know what I\u2019d do. I\u2019m not earning enough money to go into private renting. But peer housing fits within my budget, and is also a place I can call my home.\u201d The idea is not just about providing a short-term fix for young people.<\/p>\n

As Kiran explains,<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re dealing with a \u2018generation rent\u2019 kind of group. They\u2019re in that cycle where they\u2019re not earning enough, they can\u2019t build a deposit, they won\u2019t ever get that leg up if you like, without making those big changes to their life. That is what this scheme allows them to do.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

A systemic issue<\/h2>\n

So how did we get here? Kiran continues, \u201cIt\u2019s a systemic issue. A lot of the young people we support have been statemented or excluded from school. So, there is a learning gap. As soon as they leave school at 16 or they\u2019ve decided they don\u2019t want to return to school, you sort of lose them at that age. It\u2019s an education, employment and training issue, matched with housing as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

Schemes such as our peer housing show what young people can achieve with access to safe and suitable accommodation and the support they need.<\/p>\n

Jordan explains the difference it made for her: \u201cDuring my time in the peer housing, I have been able to attend college and get my diploma in business through an access course which has now allowed me to go onto study Accounting and Finance at the University of Greenwich. Going to university was always something I wanted to do, but due to my circumstances I didn’t believe I would be able to. Thanks to this housing I have been able to do just that. I am currently preparing for my second year of university and working at Amazon in order to save and get a permanent place of my own to continue building my future.\u201d<\/p>\n

So, what now? Kiran said:<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not just about giving young people rent they can afford. It\u2019s reaching those people that have been excluded from any help. There isn\u2019t enough housing that supports those young people to be able to turn their lives around.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\u201cThese kind of schemes allow them not to just exist. It allows them to settle, to explore and find their goals and aspirations and ultimately to take control of and transform their lives.\u201d<\/p>\n

While rent prices continue to price young people out of the rental market, Depaul UK will continue to be committed to supporting young people navigate the housing crisis. Peer housing is just one of the services which can help young people to do this.<\/p>\n

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