Here is a letter, and the response, we wrote trying to get support from the Labour party, to oppose changes to make squatting illegal. Making squatting illegal, is also likely to result in occupation of any building for any length of time also becoming illegal. The bill is proposing 12 month jail sentences for anyone convicted of squatting.
Dear Mr. Miliband and Mr. Dromey,
As I’m sure you’re both well aware there is both a major shortage of affordable and accessible housing in the country as well as plans for changes to Housing Benefits which will lead to massive increases in homelessness, including amongst disabled people.
Many disabled people are forced to rent in the private rented sector and just the one change from those under 25 to those under 35 only being able to claim a shared room rate of Housing Benefit has been estimated to be likely to result in 11,000 younger disabled people being made homeless.
These are likely to be people with mental health conditions and neuro-diverse impairments as they are also the groups of disabled people who are most likely to lose their eligibility for Disability Living Allowance.
There are already laws in place to deal adequately with squatting which stop short of making it illegal but protect homeowners. We feel that if squatting becomes illegal more and more disabled people (as well as others) will end up sleeping rough on the streets. If squatting becomes criminalised we also query how an already massively overstretched prison system would cope with more and more disabled people being imprisoned for simply trying to keep a roof of some sort over their heads. Disabled prisoners already suffer from a failure of the prison system being unable to meet their needs adequately.
We would therefore like to urge you to get Labour MPs to oppose clause 26 in the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment Bill due to be heard shortly.
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Below is the response from Ed Miliband, no response was received from Jack Dromey (Shadow Minister for Housing)
Dear xxxx
Mr Miliband has asked me to thank you for contacting him recently concerning the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill.
Mr Miliband thinks it is important for homeowners and local authorities to be able to take action against people who are squatting or causing criminal damage and appreciates the frustration that many homeowners have experienced when seeking to evict squatters. He is therefore not opposing the Governments new clause on this.
It is the case, however, that many people who are driven to squatting do so as a last resort and are, as Crisis’s report (The Hidden Truth about Homelessness) shows, among the most vulnerable people in society.
Squatting is often the result of deeper, complex problems including the availability of decent affordable housing and it is vital that the Government seek to address the causes of squatting as well as considering the legal framework concerning squatters.
Mr Miliband is particularly concerned about the recent sharp rises in homelessness (the number of people approaching local authorities for housing help has increased by 23% in the last year) and the Government’s reforms to Housing Benefit, which Shelter estimate will further increase homelessness and lead to over 100,000 people having to move home.
He also appreciates the considerable strain that high rents are putting on household budgets, which are being squeezed by high inflation and the Government’s increase in VAT.
Mr Miliband would like to see the Government temporarily reverse their increase in VAT and to introduce a levy of bankers’ bonuses in order to build 25,000 more affordable homes. Indeed, house building is currently at its lowest level for many years and the Government are planning to build 100,000 fewer additional affordable homes (by 2015) than were built under the previous Government between 2005 and 2010. Increasing the housing supply is vital to addressing rent levels and homelessness and the Government urgently need to take action to ensure that more affordable homes are built.
Thank you once again for writing to Mr Miliband.
Best wishes,
Victoria
Victoria Mitchell
Office of the Leader of the Opposition
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