I'm buzzing the government are scrapping the 2 child limit even though it doesn't affect me I hope this encourages more people to have more children or be comfortable around the idea of having as many kids as they want and not feel restricted in a financial way. I'm looking forward to a decrease in energy bills in northern ireland we pay by metre so a lot of our money is planned after these bills are covered to see what we are left with for food and other bills etc.

Hey everyone, we are okay but is very cold 🥶 this day and we were not ready for winter this year. I hope everyone is keeping warm out there.

Finally we got my son's bus pass and his college dinners sorted after three months. I don’t understand why it’s so stressful, even with the EMA. If the teacher doesn’t sign him in he won’t get the payment.

Key changes for me:

BUILD MORE HOUSING SO PEOPLE CAN LIVE & MOVE AROUND WHEN THEY NEED TO!

MAKE IT AFFORDABLE!

REPAIR & MAINTAIN EXISTENT SOCIAL HOUSING!

STOP BUILDING BRASS & GLASS TOWERS FOR RICH INVESTORS TO HOARD THEIR WEALTH WHILST THEY LIVE ELSEWHERE!

Storytime:

The housing crisis for me has manifested itself as a feeling of being 'locked in'. Before 2005 I was homeless but was helped out of the spiral of hostels and temporary rooms by a local scheme helping young adults into housing. I moved into a tiny housing association flat that had become available. When I became a parent, I used a borough-to-borough scheme to move into council housing. The council housing was beset with disrepair problems but I was studying nearby with the idea to move out eventually to be closer to family support. This was thwarted when the borough-to-borough scheme, like many others, was wound down during the pandemic. At the same time, the strain of competition for homes had intensified; people were on waiting lists for years, being told they were making themselves "intentionally homeless" if they didn't want to accept slum properties. I got scared and stayed put. The disrepair problems in the council flat were never addressed adequately and new problems appeared as maintenance of properties declined; the attitude of the council teams worsened - they honestly didn't care and seemed intent to manage expectations all the way down so that you were grateful to get any kind of service, even poor services. The rent continued to go up and things like water rates, originally included in the service charge, were separated out so that we paid more. The service charges went up sky high in 2023 - we were told due to energy costs - and I realised then I didn't even have the money to move out (which is an expense in itself) because everything was sucked up by gigantic charges draining everyone dry. I thought about the Home Swapper scheme, which I think still exists, but couldn't see anyone wanting to swap into my bad situation unless they already had a far worse situation. It's now been 8 years. I never anticipated the complete dereliction of duty of local councils to their residents. They have stopped even pretending to help. To me, it's part of the bigger problem of national government inflicting austerity, failing to prioritise building homes for people, and turning their backs on the carnage they have caused.

We have been affected by the lack of affordable housing. I rent a private house in London. Our rent is simply unaffordable without help from Universal Credit (housing benefit previously). Historically most of our award was used to pay for the high rent. I think we need more affordable homes and more social housing should be built. I had been on the list for social housing, except after years of waiting, I was removed due to a change of circumstances. As I rent privately, my housing situation is precarious. I honestly don’t know what will happen if we were evicted.

I'm a mum of 2 and now in my early 50s. The housing crisis in the UK really has affected and impacted my life deeply, to the extent that I am still suffering from its impact.

I was born and raised in London. My grandparents came to the UK from the Caribbean in the late 40's, and shortly after their arrival my parents were born.

I would consider myself to be second generation Black-British because of this. Most of my roots were laid down in London, as was the case with most of my immediate family.

The Housing crisis had the biggest impact on me when I started my own family, because, due to being from a low-income family, and being on benefits myself, I couldn't afford to rent anywhere in London when my daughter came along, and there was just no social housing left there either, and the only option I was given by my local council at the time who I went to seek help from, was to move up North, where there were still a few adequate council properties left for me to raise my daughter in.

It was a really difficult decision for me to have to do this, because it meant having to uproot my whole life, as well as leave the secure family and friend ship network that I had in London - but, I had absolutely no choice because I was poor - and so were my family.

I therefore think that one of the biggest things that would help in this current housing crisis, would be for the Government to build more social housing and make the 'Right-to-buy' more difficult (or scrap the scheme all together).

Moreover, there are various places (in my opinion) where councils can build more affordable/social houses on, but I think are sometimes overlooked. Some of these places are brownfield and grey belt land of which there is an abundance up and down the country, but yet seem to just be so under used and dormant

I'm sure that being able to build on such sites would help to alleviate some of the massive housing waiting lists which currently exist too.

I would like to see decent housing for all the social housing tenants. Make more affordable homes for the people who are on waiting list. Housing for everyone is a necessity where people can feel safe and comfort.

I have been a housing association tenant for 3 years now. I have had to make 8 separate formal complaints regarding the poor quality of repairs and the time it's taken for them to be repaired. My home is an accessible bungalow due to my access needs and they have refused to update the kitchen to be fully accessible, despite that every tenant of this property would likely need these adaptations. This house is also far too small for 2 children and 2 adults, one of whom is a full time wheelchair user. We have been subjected to anti-social behaviour since moving here, and the situation has become intolerable. The HA has done very little about this, despite that the majority is being done by other HA tenants. The rents are well over market rate for the area but they seem to be allowed to charge this because of the shortage of accessible homes.

We need a larger, better maintained, more accessible and more affordable home but we can't afford such a thing even if it did exist where we need it.

Suitable to needs, decent living standard, no anti social behaviour, active community center, what's in the policy really happening in real world, not relying on one person's knowledge of their rights, should not be a fight to ask for a decent living standard .

The housing executive in Belfast northern ireland is a very lengthy stressful battle with calls being made constantly. Single parents are offered flats and would be really lucky if it was ground floor. I lived in unreasonable flats for over 7 years with little to no help. Drug addict neighbours i witnessed a lifeless body being removed and many ambulances calling out to unconscious people and was still told my area of choice was in high demand with not enough social housing and that some people at the top of the list have problems. I carried my child, shopping and rubbish up and down flights of stairs for years and still got complaints from neighbours underneath about living noises. With no safe place for my child to play I pleaded and begged for years and worked on building my points to finally be offered a suitable home while others have recieved homes on very little points. I wonder is it who you know rather than what you know. Until the past month my body has felt what it is like to have an actual sleep threw the night. For years I fought and felt unheard, unsupported and when reporting issues like anti social behaviour I was told to keep ringing up and reporting it which left me and child very vulnerable as they could leave their office and return to their safe homes while the people I reported knew it was us and could react to any one of the reports. It all works on a points system and some people know how to work the system while others who really do need help dont stand a chance. I hope it changes soon and everyone has a safe home.

I was told by discretionary support that I could apply more than once a year for different items and I believed them until I moved into a new build house with no flooring, no paint on the walls or anything. It was a shell and I applied for things that I have never applied for like flooring, curtains things like that and was then declined because I had applied for a fridge in the last 12 months. The system remains unclear about what we can apply for and cannot so we dont waste our times in the future.

I have lived in hostels, refuges and temporary accommodation from the age of 12. I have often found that the shortage of properties alongside increasing rent prices has forced so many like myself on to very long waiting lists which is even worse when living in a big city. I wish the government would do more to protect tenants' rights, particularly when it comes to unfair charges. I hope the government will reinvest money into providing more affordable living spaces, and to prioritize those who are most vulnerable.