'Too many Northerners have spent lockdown in homes that have harmed their health,' report finds

The report published today by the Northern Housing Consortium detailed the challenging conditions many in poor quality housing faced during the first coronavirus lockdown.

And experts raised fears that as the weather turned cold over the winter, combined with the prospect of further lockdowns, the outcome could be even more bleak.

The report found issues such as disrepair, cold homes and lack of space were exacerbated during national lockdown, impacting upon residents’ physical and mental health.

Residents in the private rented sector faced particular challenges, with many tenants experiencing deteriorating conditions.

And fears over being seen as a problem to landlords meant some tenants did not report repairs, fearing eviction or rent reprisals.

Tracy Harrison, Chief Executive of the Northern Housing Consortium said: “This report shows that – far from being safe at home – too many Northerners have spent lockdown in homes that have harmed their health.

“The immediate priority must be strengthening the safety net to keep people afloat this winter – but in the longer term we must learn lessons from lockdown and renew our housing stock so that everyone in the North has a decent place to call home.”

The research was undertaken by the University of Huddersfield, where academics interviewed residents across the North from May to July 2020, just months after lockdown restrictions were introduced in England to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

Professor Philip Brown, Professor of Housing and Communities at the University of Huddersfield said: “The Covid-19 crisis has amplified many of the issues that our communities were already facing, but this research details just how difficult life has become for Northerners living in homes which have ongoing quality issues.

“It is clear from this research that rundown properties are resulting in rundown people.

“The stories we heard about the steps people are taking to cope were shocking.

“People are getting by as best they can but the impact of poor-quality housing on people is enormous.”

He added: “The report is released at the very time those people we spoke to were most afraid of. It is increasingly cold, many properties will still be in poor repair, living costs are increased and people are grappling with increased financial insecurity.

“Those with the power to bring about change must take urgent action to reduce this insecurity and prevent adding to the numbers of people already homeless in the North.”

Charity Citizens Advice last week called for a fresh package of support measures to prevent households placed under tougher coronavirus restrictions from sinking further into debt.

The charity said the enforcement of council tax arrears should be paused in Tier 3 areas in England.

It said councils should also be given extra funding to support those who are behind, which should be prioritised in areas entering a Tier 3 lockdown.

Citizens Advice also wants to see a national programme of Government-backed grants and loans for private sector tenants struggling to pay their rent because of the pandemic.

A Government spokesperson previously said: “We’ve taken unprecedented action to protect renters including a six-month ban on evictions, as well as preventing people getting into financial hardship by helping businesses to pay salaries and boosting the welfare safety net by over £9bn.

“Renters will continue to be protected through winter, including six-month notice periods and instructing bailiffs not to enforce evictions in areas of local lockdown – anyone now served notice will not have to leave their home except in the most serious cases, such as anti-social behaviour and domestic abuse.

“Anyone worried about losing their home and not having anywhere else to go should speak to their local council, which has a duty in law to help prevent them becoming homeless.”