Triple threat to housing on funding, welfare and public perception

A lack of funding, the impact of welfare reform and little public interest in social housing is the triple threat facing housing professionals working in the UK, according to a survey of Guardian Housing Network members. Carried out in November and December and polling members and readers of the network, the survey found that housing staff are torn over the most pressing of the problems they face. Welfare reform and changes to housing benefit payments was perceived as the biggest problem by 29% of professionals, while 27% pointed to the dearth of funding for new development. A further 16% warned that a lack of public interest in housing issues was holding back the formulation of new policies to tackle the sector's problems. Despite the publication of the government's housing strategy in November, 72% of respondents insisted the government does not have a set of coherent policies in place to tackle the housing crisis. One stated that the government was "intent on propping up a housing market that has clearly failed". Yet 24% were more positive, claiming that the sector would have to wait to see the impact of the coalition's policies before passing judgement. Network members also offered their own solutions to the crisis. One warned: "Housing professionals [are] stuck in their ways and lacking the power to counter the government's damaging policies." Another said that the sector is in "unprecedented times" that presented "lots of threats but lots of opportunity as well. What is needed are inspirational, motivational leaders who are prepared to rewrite the rule book and do things differently. Also banks need to stop threatening to rebase their costs at every opportunity." Social housing found itself in the spotlight in 2011 after some councils warned tenants could be evicted if they were found to have been involved in the rioting and looting that broke out across the country in August. Of respondents surveyed, 67% said they did not feel the links made between rioting and social tenants had made their job more difficult, but many commented that it had affected their colleagues' working lives. "Reporting [has] unfairly stigmatised social housing residents, while at the same time conflating policing and housing management," one said. Another commented: "The rhetoric that these riots were mainly perpetrated by social housing tenants only serves to reinforce the negative image held of those living within social housing communities as 'undeserving'." Despite cuts to the housing budget, 63% of housing network members and readers said that they had received training and support in the last year. However, 67% had still considered leaving the sector for another role. This content is brought to you by Guardian Professional. Join the housing network for more news, views and the latest jobs direct to your inbox