Research from the UK's equality watchdog has found no bias in the allocation of social housing to immigrants. Nine out of ten people who live in social housing were born in the UK and there is no evidence that new migrants are getting priority over UK born residents.

Immigrants and social housing research

Research published by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) found that less than two per cent of all social housing residents are people who have moved to Britain in the last five years and that nine out of ten people who live in social housing were born in the UK.

As a result, the EHRC found that there is no bias in the allocation of social housing to immigrants. The report identified a number of reasons that people may believe new migrants are getting priority over UK born residents for social housing.

These include:

A grant can be used for adaptations to give you better freedom of movement into and around your home and/or to provide essential facilities within it.

If you are disabled, acceptable types of work include:

> widening doors and installing ramps

> providing or improving access to rooms and facilities - for example, by installing a stair lift or providing a downstairs bathroom

> improving or providing a heating system which is suitable for your needs

> adapting heating or lighting controls to make them easier to use

> improving access to and movement around the home to enable you to care for another person who lives in the property, such as a child

An occupational therapist will look at your circumstances and can recommend the type of adaptation(s) needed.

Trevor Phillips, Chair of the EHRC, said:

“We have to recognise that peoples perceptions are powerful, so it is vital that social housing providers and policy makers work to foster understanding about what is really happening on the ground. Much of the public concern about the impact of migration on social housing has, at its heart, the failure of social housing supply to meet the demands of the population. The poorer the area, the longer the waiting lists, therefore the greater the tension. Government and social housing providers need to work with communities to address these issues.”
7th July 2008