February 5 2008

Breaking the link between social housing and worklessness will be a priority for government, Caroline Flint told the Fabian Society in her first speech as Housing Minister, but Adam Sampson of Shelter and Dave Prentis of Unison warned of the danger of stigmatising social housing.

Social housing must act as a springboard, not just a safety net, new Housing Minister Caroline Flint told a Fabian conference in her first major speech in the role.

Flint floated the idea that new tenants who can work could sign commitment contracts when getting a tenancy, agreeing to actively seek work, as part of a package of measures to break the link between social housing and worklessness.

'There are also many who are currently unemployed who could find work with the right training and support', she said.

Flint argued that housing policy needs 'urgent attention and swift action', and that she wanted to begin a 'national debate about the role of social housing in the twenty-first century', Stressing that she was 'asking more questions than offering answers', she acknowledged that her ideas could be 'provocative' but that radical thinking was needed to break the link between social housing and worklessness.

Adam Sampson, Director of Shelter, speaking at the Fabian conference, said that the speech had brought into the open a debate about conditionality which had previously been 'whispered about'. But what was needed was more support to find work, not the fear of losing a home.

Dave Prentis, General Secretary of Unison, also responding, warned that 'council house tenants are being stigmatised' and feared that the government's language could increase this. Prentis argued that the fundamental issue was how to increase housing supply - and that the government needed to turn its ambitions for three million new homes into a practical agenda to deliver.

The day-long Fabian housing conference continued with sessions addressing increasing the supply of affordable homes, and the role of housing policy in narrowing inequalities. Speakers leading these sessions include Nick Raynsford MP, Karen Buck MP, Kate Davies (Notting Hill Housing Group), Adam Sampson (Shelter), Dave Prentis (Unison), Lynsey Hanley (author of 'Estates: an intimate history'), Ken Jones (Head of Housing Strategy, London Borough of Barking and Dagenham) and David Walker (the Guardian). 

This event is kindly supported by Unison and Shelter

For media enquiries contact Rosie Clayton.

This speech is linked to the Fabian Society's Life Chances and Equality debate.

Learn more about the Fabian housing network . 

Full text of speech

News
Tenants need work commitment to get social housing says new Housing Minister Caroline Flint