Tackle child poverty through better housing, says MP

Shortages in good quality, affordable homes for rent are hampering efforts to tackle child poverty, a Leeds MP has argued.

John Battle MP (Labour, Leeds West) believes that tackling the housing ‘gap’ should be much higher up the political agenda as part of the Government’s drive to eliminate child poverty. Many of the problems associated with child poverty are related to inadequate housing, according to Mr Battle.

Speaking at a Child Poverty conference in West Leeds, Mr Battle said: “If we’re going to drive down child poverty, we need joined-up action – the factors that contribute to child poverty can’t be tackled in isolation. Housing shortages are putting pressure on families and relationships. It isn’t surprising that relationships break down when couples are forced into living with parents or grandparents, in the box room or the living room, as they can’t get their own place. Little wonder relationships break down before they have even really started and that young children don’t get a good stable start in life.”

3 in 10 children in Yorkshire are living below the poverty line and in some areas in West Leeds up to 50% of households with children are surviving on benefits.

Mr Battle believes that enabling local councils to build new homes for rent should be a top priority for the Government. “As a way of tackling poverty and social exclusion, we should be looking to increase council housing stock,” he said. “There’s no doubt in my mind that rising personal debt, bankruptcy levels and doorstep lending are in part related to the lack of affordable housing for rent.”

According to the National Housing Federation, projections suggest that by 2011 Yorkshire will be faced with an average house price of over £220,000, a staggering 60% higher than today. Meanwhile, housing waiting lists are rising faster than anywhere else in England.

“While house prices are rising all the time, there is still less affordable housing around in West Leeds. There is little hope for many young families to buy or rent a first home. Tackling the housing crisis ought now to be moved much faster up the political agenda,” said Mr Battle.

John Battle MP 19 October 2006