As the coronavirus crisis continues and many of us are losing our jobs, more people than ever will be applying for housing benefits to help us get through. But unless the government increases the amount of rent it covers, thousands of people still won’t be able to afford their rent. That’s because right now housing benefits only cover the cost of the cheapest 30% of rent prices, and it can leave people hundreds of pounds short on their rent. With so many people suddenly relying on housing benefits to pay rent, and with no option to move to a cheaper flat, we’re calling on the government to increase the Local Housing Allowance to cover at least the average cost of renting and remove any caps stopping people getting the full amount. Will you sign the petition now, and help make sure that those impacted by the coronavirus crisis have the support they need.

BECAUSE MANY SOCIAL HOUSING TENANTS WILL NEED THEIR SPARE ROOM IN ORDER TO ISOLATE

In the very near future, thousands of private renters across Northern Ireland will face huge reductions in their income and be unable to pay their rent. Being evicted during the Covid-19 crisis will mean being unable to stay safe and healthy - and not spread the virus. The government has announced "mortgage holidays" for landlords and home-owners and cities in the US including New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco have already taken action to stop evictions. Now it's time to give renters in Northern Ireland the protections they need to keep their homes during the coronavirus crisis.

On March 18, the government announced a 3-month ban on evictions, thanks to the efforts of 38 Degrees members, London Renters Union and the renters movement. However, the legislation that the government announced is weak, meaning thousands of people struggling to pay rent could still be chucked out of their homes in just three months. Some evictions are still taking place. The government has also so far failed to take action to suspend rent payments. No one should have to pay rent or get in to debt to their landlord during this crisis. This is a public health issue. If renters have to continue to earn large sums of money to pay rent, they will be unable to stay at home or look after those around them after the end of the current lockdown. Without action to suspend rent payments, large numbers of renters are now entering into debt to their landlord. Tens of thousands of people will be left trying to rebuild their lives while in huge amounts of debt. There will be an evictions crisis. People who already face the worst impacts of the housing crisis are likely to face some of the worst impacts of Coronavirus. The poorest and most vulnerable will be hardest hit. Homeless people need safe and secure homes to keep healthy. There are 216,000 empty homes across the UK. - these should be made available to homeless people to live in.

For renters, coronavirus is not only a major health concern - it’s a financial one too. People renting are some of the people most likely to be in the kind of precarious, low-paid work where taking time off to self-isolate is near impossible. If we're serious about containing the spread of the virus, tenants need to know that they won't face destitution for doing the responsible thing. That has to mean stopping rent collections for anyone affected - both those who are unable to work or who need to self-isolate - and making sure nobody faces the threat of homelessness or having to find another home during this time. If banks can grant home-owners ‘mortgage-holidays’, we need to see tenants given the same protections.

I have lived in my home for 30 years in queens Meadow cherry hinton where I Brought up my 3 children with my husband who I married when I was 16 I am now 54 and sadly lost my husband a few months ago. My home is all my memories of my life with my partner who I am still deeply grieving for and always will. I cherish every part of my home as my husband built so many memories there. I am currently still looking after my husband mum in this same home. The council only want to knock down my home for access to build more houses in my back garden. The garden I have looked after for all these years along side my husband. I cant put into words how scared I am of losing my home as all I have left of my husband is in this home. I thank you all for your support in helping me.

The land on the former Essex County Hospital site was given to Colchester by wealthy benefactors for the benefit of the town. The current plans for this site will not provide any significant benefits to the town or meet the current and future needs of Colchester residents. With just under 3000 households on the council’s housing register the pressing need for Colchester is the provision of homes for the most deprived members of our community; young families, unable to get on to the housing ladder, key workers like nurses and other NHS staff and elderly residents, often isolated and living in family homes, with little prospect of moving into smaller, town centre located houses because of a shortage of secure rented accommodation. The current plans are also likely to significantly increase the number of cars in the area, as high value properties tend to attract two or even more cars per dwelling. Despite plans for 149 parking spaces it is highly likely there will be overspill parking in the already congested local streets. Our town centre is already blighted with congestion and serious air pollution. Given the school traffic in this area, there will be dispersal problems for pollution of morning and evening rush hour traffic with such tightly packed houses. A more open design of social housing would avoid such problems, especially if targeted towards the elderly or young families who often have fewer vehicles. The County Council and NHS Hospital Trust are being irresponsible in the design and target market of £500,000 plus homes for the wealthy. The land was originally given to the town to benefit the people of Colchester, not so that future councils could play at property speculation. This publicly owned land should be used to benefit Colchester residents and used for 100% social housing, not the derisory 4 units of unaffordable ‘affordable’ homes you are currently proposing. On behalf of Colchester People's Assembly Against Austerity

It's been revealed that 1 in 50 homes in London are now holiday lets, meaning families and those working in the capital are being forced out of their homes and facing higher rents. Right now, if a home in London is rented out on the holiday let market for more than 90 days in the course of a year then the landlord is required to apply for planning permission to let it out to tourists. However, because there are loads of holiday let companies out there, landlords can bounce from Airbnb to HomeStay to Hostmaker and to FlipKey without regulation. Cash-strapped local councils don't have the staff or the data to track down landlords that are breaking the law. The rise of holiday lets is growing throughout England, and councils outside London have even fewer powers to do anything about it. The massive rise in companies like Airbnb and HomeStay means more evictions for long term tenants, less secure private rented housing available for Londoners and rents are being pushed up.

At the moment, anyone wishing to convert existing office buildings do not have to go through the procedure of getting planning permission from local authorities. This means that more and more flats are being built which do not meet the standard requirement for living. Some of these flats have been described as a “human warehouse” with residents living space measuring as small as 13ft by 13ft. Living in such a small area can cause people’s physical and mental wellbeing deteriorating. There is no excuse for developments like this. We are calling on the Government to change the rules around office to flat conversions and make developers seek planning permission. https://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/wiki/Minimum_space_standards

Everyone deserves to call a house a home. We need a housing system that puts people before profit. Right now, a law called section 21 means landlords can evict renters with just two months’ notice without being given a reason. This law allows landlords to respond to a request for a repair to be made by carrying out a “revenge eviction” on their tenants. The Government is currently consulting on ending section 21 and replacing it with new laws. We want to ensure that these new laws abolish unfair evictions and provide safe, secure and fair homes for tenants. Renters need more control over their housing situation.

This is important to prevent people becoming entrenched in rough sleeping. People find themselves homeless for all sorts of reasons and are entitled to receive safe shelter and professional support immediately. In the first seven months of 2019 alone, 19 deaths of homeless people have been reported in Brighton and Hove. Please sign this petition to put pressure on Brighton and Hove City Council to do more to prevent further deaths.

Quarriers James Shields Project has been delivering vital homelessness accommodation and support to young people, 16 - 25 years old, in the Glasgow area for over 20 years. The young people who use the service have complex situations including, histories of abuse, mental health difficulties and a lack of support. Some are completely isolated Asylum Seekers. This service is now being closed. At a time when Scotland has the highest drug death statistics in Europe and increased suicide, the loss of such a vital service, with no established alternative, will potentially have life threatening consequences for some young people. The safety of young people is the obvious priority for this petition, however Glasgow is also on the verge of losing 28 trained, specialised staff, who have been invested in with tax payers money. It is essential that young people, who have often been unprotected in childhood, continue to have access to safe, supported accommodation when in the crisis of homelessness.