A month has passed since a truly momentous Senedd election. The First Minister has been sworn in, the cabinet has been assembled, the dust has (kind of) settled. So, what next?
Without seeking to write in cliches, the enormous challenge facing Welsh Government cannot be overstated. Poverty, inequality and discrimination all feel more entrenched than ever, with challenges so stark they may well feel insurmountable. People’s lives are inextricably bound up with the home that they live in – or their lack of one. If we want to improve the health and wealth of our country, home is where it all begins.
The new government needs to be bold; successive governments have tried many means of tackling our housing issues over many years. There has been excellent and work and successes; we don’t seek to undermine that, but the housing crisis still exists, causing misery for many and costing local authorities and Welsh Government vast sums of money. Ultimately, until we try something brave and new, we will see the same results.
We know that the weight of poverty and poor housing is not felt equally; many people in our communities are carrying infinitely heavier burdens that they cannot and should not have to shoulder alone.
For instance, we know that:
- Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic households are three times more likely to become homeless.
- Overcrowding affects 25–27% of some minority groups (compared with 4% of White households).
- Minority groups are disproportionately affected by damp, mould, and poor housing conditions.
- Lone-parent households (largely women) are heavily affected by the housing crisis.
- Some parents are skipping meals to afford rent and housing costs.
- Housing instability harms children’s health, education, and future opportunities.
- 1 in 4 young people experiencing homelessness identify as LGBTQ+.
- 34% of social housing tenants are disabled (vs 21% of the general population).
- 1 in 4 people live in homes not suited to their needs.
Whilst this undeniably paints a difficult and stark picture for the new government to grapple with, we believe that the opportunity to drive change is well within grasping distance. We have an opportunity to work differently, and with the right action, there is much that can be achieved in the next four years.
Tai Pawb has advocated for several key pillars to be adopted throughout government policy-making in the coming Senedd term. They are:
- Right to a good home: Address poverty and improve health outcomes through passing a law ensuring all people in Wales have a legal right to a good home
- Homes for all: More funding to deliver additional, affordable, and better social homes to address diverse needs, including accessible homes
- Equality at the core: Reaffirm equality, inclusion and learning from lived experience as the foundations of any fair housing policy.
Whilst the challenges exist in every area of government responsibility, sometimes the solutions do, too.
The Right to Adequate Housing campaign, led in coalition by Tai Pawb, Shelter Cymru and CIH Cymru, advocates for a rethinking of how we tackle the housing crisis. It is a truly cross-government, public health-focused solution that can shift the dial on so many of the interconnecting issues that are confronting our new Welsh Government.
We are firm in our belief that at the core of any solution to the housing crisis is a national commitment to the fundamental principle that every one of us should have a human right – underpinned by law – to access adequate and sustainable housing.
Before the election, Plaid Cymru published their First 100 Days Plan. Within it, the party committed to starting work on enshrining the right to adequate housing in Welsh law. This is a landmark opportunity to take bold action on the housing crisis in Wales, which can have tangible impacts on a number of challenges facing every government department and every aspect of peoples’ lives. Home is where everything starts; unsafe homes lead to hospital admissions, and a lack of adapted homes often prevents hospital discharge. Children growing up in poor or unsafe housing are more likely to face physical and mental health challenges later in life, alongside issues in education and employment.
We are firmly in a new era for the Senedd and Welsh Government, facing massive challenges but with the opportunity to deliver real change that can be felt across Wales. Tai Pawb looks forward to playing our part to ensure that we can grab the opportunities ahead of us with both hands and end this Senedd term having improved housing for everyone in Wales.