Richard Exell

The National Housing Federation has warned that 40 per cent cuts in funding for social housing could lead to more than half a million people becoming homeless and raise unemployment by more than a quarter of a million.

The NHF pointed out that, before the cuts are imposed,  there are 4.5 million people on social housing waiting lists and house building is at the lowest level since World War II. A 40 per cent cut in funding would mean, they claimed:

• 230,000 houses not being built between now and 2020;
• 570,000 more people on the housing waiting list;
• 283,000 construction jobs cut or not created.