Commons Sense

House of Commons · Westminster Hall

Social Housing: Furniture Affordability

24 May 2023 · 1 other contributor · 4,460 words

Opened by Paul Maynard Con Blackpool North and Cleveleys

Responding minister: Mims Davies

EconomyHousingBenefits & Welfare

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Paul Maynard raised concerns about social housing: furniture affordability in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.

Key points

  • Concerns raised about 26% of people in social housing lacking essential furniture compared to 3% of homeowners.
  • More than 700,000 people in social housing do not have any flooring.
  • The ask includes reviewing the Welfare Reform Act 2012 and meeting with End Furniture Poverty to discuss local welfare assistance schemes.

Key requests to Government

I urge the Minister to review the Welfare Reform Act 2012 to ensure it is preventing people from falling into destitution. I also ask for a meeting with End Furniture Poverty to discuss strengthening local welfare assistance schemes and household support funds, as well as exploring ways to encourage social housing providers to offer more furnished tenancies.

How the debate unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.

Opened the debate

Paul Maynard Con Blackpool North and Cleveleys

I am concerned about the high percentage of people in social housing who lack essential furniture such as flooring, cooking appliances, and dining tables. Some 26% of those in social housing do not have major pieces of furniture compared to just 3% of homeowners. I also note that more than 700,000 people—9% of those in social housing—do not have any flooring, which is worsening due to the cost of living crisis and rising inflation rates for furniture (35%) and appliances (21%). Additionally, there are underlying issues such as a lack of savings culture, disappearance of cheap credit, and absence of microinsurance products that exacerbate financial difficulties.

Other contributors (1)
  • Jim Shannon DUP Strangford

    Commends the hon. Gentleman for bringing forward the issue of furniture affordability in social housing, noting an increase in domestic abuse cases leading to families moving into unfurnished homes. Supports the initiative and calls on the Government to assist those displaced due to domestic abuse. During the covid period, there was a significant increase in relationship breakdowns and domestic abuse cases, leading to many families moving out with nothing. He questions whether there is sufficient funding to assist these individuals when they need it.

Government Response

Mims Davies

I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Blackpool North and Cleveleys for his tenacity in securing this debate. I am keen to touch on launderettes, domestic abuse, and the household support fund, which is extended until March 2024 with £3.5 million allocated to Blackpool. In 2023-24, we are spending around £276 billion through the welfare system of Great Britain and around £124 billion on people of working age and their children, increasing benefit rates and state pensions by 10.1%. The Government is committed to a strong welfare system that supports those who are most in need, providing cost of living payments and energy price guarantees. We have also allocated £76 million of dormant assets funding for financial inclusion programmes delivered by Fair4All Finance, benefiting 69,000 individuals struggling with their personal finance through no-interest loans. I am concerned about the adequacy of flooring in social housing and will look into it as part of the decent homes standard review.

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