Our collective call from the health community standing alongside tenants unions forced a u-turn from the government on evictions, but we want assurance from the government that no one is made homeless if they lose their income during this pandemic.
This u-turn is a sticking plaster solution to a chronic condition.
You can read the full letter we sent to the government: https://www.medact.org/2020/actions/sign-ons/ mitigating-public-health-ri sk-from-evictions/
My Thoughts
Realistically the period needs to be a year or more while those that lost jobs refashion skills to new opportunities..this needs support for tenants, landlords, local councils. The DWP benefit payments need to be paid in advance not in arrears. Arrears that simply transfer to tenant and landlord causing financial stress. Arrears from failed policies should NOT be placed on those in need of the support.... what spent on bailiffs and chasing system failure debts would be better streamlined to those in the need to keep a roof over their heads. Those managing mortgages to buy homes also need help to keep homes too. We do not want a repeat of Maggie's recession in late 80s!!!!!! For compassion and public health needs in pandemic we need a strong and stable support...remember not lost money it circulates back to treasury! £s should be like RBC circulating to give vital financial oxygen to each family cell..
