MP's SURVEY REVEALS LOCAL HOUSING CRISIS (Julia Goldsworthy)

Julia Goldsworthy <info@juliagoldsworthy.org>

MP's SURVEY REVEALS LOCAL HOUSING CRISIS

March 13, 2009 5:30 PM

A survey by Julia has revealed that over one third of people in her constituency are now struggling to pay their rent or mortgage. The survey, which focused on the impact of the recession on local families, was sent to every household in the Falmouth and Camborne constituency, and generated over 3,000 responses.

The results revealed an overwhelming shortage of access to affordable housing in Falmouth, Redruth and Camborne, as rents and mortgages become increasingly unaffordable for existing residents. Over a quarter of respondents to Ms Goldsworthy's survey said they now spent more than half their monthly income on their housing costs, while nearly one in 10 spent more than three-quarters of their take home income on rent or a mortgage.

Almost two thirds reported that their housing costs had increased over the past year, and 37% said they were now struggling to meet those costs. And a massive 93% of respondents said that more needed to be done to build more affordable housing.

Ms Goldsworthy commented: "These figures are shocking enough, but they only paint part of the picture. A large number of respondents wrote in detail about their own personal cases, which offered a vivid insight into the sheer misery caused by the affordable housing crisis.

"One constituent reported five generations of her family living together in the same small house, because no one could afford to move out. Others told of their children and grandchildren living in sub-standard temporary accommodation or bed and breakfast hostels, because there is no housing available for them. It is clear to me that there is a real need for more affordable housing across Cornwall - to stop this terrible suffering that is being endured by local people."

Julia added that decisions on house-building had to be made at local level - not by unelected quangos in Bristol or London.

She said: "It is clear that a lack of affordable social housing is a real problem in Cornwall - but the government's centralised approach is not the answer. Their approach threatens to destroy our communities, not support them.

"Centrally-planned Government targets simply don't work. Instead of setting house building targets that bear no relation to our local community or out local economy, they should be letting local people have their say. They should also be freeing up councils to start building council housing once again - to direct the help exactly to where it's needed most."

MAIN FINDINGS OF SURVEY

1. 8.5% of respondents spend over 75% of income on housing

2. 25.5% spend over 50% of income on housing

3. 61.5% said that the cost of their housing had increased in the past year

4. 37.7% are struggling to meet their housing costs

5. 85% said the Winter Fuel Payment would not cover their fuel bills this winter

6. 93% thought more needed to be done on affordable housing

RESPONDENTS' CIRUMSTANCES

7. 29% of respondents are paying a mortgage

8. 19% are renting

9. 52% of respondents own their own home