Through the roof: a housing and cost-of-living crisis report
A UNISON research report on the housing and cost-of-living crisis for public sector workers across all four nations of the UK. Researched and written by The Labour Research Department
Date posted:
1 June 2023
The report examines how the UK’s housing and cost‑of‑living crises are affecting UNISON members, revealing that rising rents, poor‑quality housing, and stagnant wages are pushing many public service workers into financial hardship.
Survey responses showed that large numbers are spending unsustainable proportions of their income on housing, struggling to cover basic essentials, and in some cases relying on debt or food banks.
Private renters are under the greatest pressure, while home ownership is increasingly out of reach for most.
These conditions are also undermining recruitment and retention across public services.
The report recommends that governments:
- Invest to increase housing, particularly social housing.
- Prioritise key workers for affordable housing.
- Give councils full control of capital receipts.
- Restore investment in new social housing.
- Redefine ‘affordable’ based on local incomes, not market rates.
- End ‘Right to Buy’ schemes in England.
- Strengthen private rented sector regulation.
- Fund legal services for tenants.
- Legislate to improve housing quality standards.
- Introduce rent controls.
- Reform welfare system to help more people meet housing costs.
- Give public service workers pay rises in line with inflation.