The mayor of London has called on the government to impose a rent freeze on social housing after a charity warned that the city has seen a 24% increase in rough sleepers year on year.
Sadiq Khan stated that he has “repeatedly” pleaded for a rent freeze for private renters in London, but added that “those in social housing and shared ownership also deserve the benefits this would bring.”
“A social housing rent freeze is the only sensible solution as we continue to build a fairer London for all,” he said.
It comes after City Hall found there were 5,712 people on the capital’s streets between April and September – an increase of more than a fifth from the same time last year.
The same research uncovered a steep 24% rise in homelessness between July and September, compared with the same period in 2021.
The mayor said 3,500 people had been helped off the streets since 2016, with eight in 10 staying housed for good, but progress was being offset by extraordinary financial pressures.
Many Londoners living in social housing are struggling in this cost of living crisis, facing ever increasing bills & costs. That’s why I’m urging Ministers to implement a rent freeze for social housing tenants via a rebate to compensate for any upcoming social rent increases. 1/4
— Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan (@MayorofLondon) October 31, 2022