In his leadership election, Keir Starmer declared that “We have to start treating housing as a fundamental human right”. At Labour Campaign for Human Rights, we could not agree more - there are few human rights so central to our health, security and ability to live a life of dignity than the right to adequate housing. 

Yet the overlapping crises of homelessness, unaffordable housing and unsafe homes so evident in Britain today makes it clear that this fundamental human right is being violated at every turn. LCHR has been campaigning for the next Labour government to recognise our economic and social rights in law and policy, and are delighted to have been working with our friends at Labour Housing Group on a new report that outlines how Labour can make the human right to housing a reality.

With a foreword from Shadow Housing and Planning Minister Matthew Pennycook MP, the report brings together 16 authors from politics, academia and advocacy groups to highlight practical ways in which Labour could put human rights at the heart of a programme of transformative housing policies. From mass investment in social housing and rent controls to an overhaul of safety regulations, guarantees of tenants’ participation and measures to tackle discrimination, the report brings a wide range of proposals that could inspire the next Labour manifesto, and eventually be enshrined in law.

Authors include:

Matthew Pennycook MP, Shadow Minister for Housing and Planning
Dr Koldo Casla, University of Essex, on the human right to housing in international law
Leilani Farha, former UN special rapporteur on the right to housing, on experiences around the
world
Steve Hilditch, LHG founder, on affordable housing.
Sem Moema MLA, on the need for rent controls in London.
Baroness Alicia Kennedy, Director of Generation Rent, on evictions and security of tenure.
Mark Griffin MSP, on protections for private tenants in Scotland.
Karen Buck MP, on ensuring decent homes for private tenants.
Dr Stuart Hodkinson, University of Leeds, on building safety post-Grenfell.
Councillor Nick Forbes and Neil Munslow, on preventing homelessness in Newcastle.
Councillor Amanda Pinnock, on housing inequalities for women and BAME communities.
Kathy Bole from Disability Labour and Sheila Spencer from Labour Housing Group on the right to
housing for disabled people.
Martin Gallagher on discrimination against the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities.
Marianne Hood, tenants’ rights campaigner, on the right to participation.
Liz Davies QC and Giles Peaker on the remedies and legal reforms.
Peter Roderick, Newcastle University, on how to put the right to housing in law.