TUSC housing placard, photo Paul Mattsson

TUSC housing placard, photo Paul Mattsson   (Click to enlarge: opens in new window)

Terri-Jay Hersey

Over the last 12 months, housing charity Shelter found 148,000 households at risk of eviction.

According to the charity, the lack of affordable housing and welfare cuts are contributing factors. Over the last six years we have seen the Coalition and Tory governments, and Labour councils, cut benefits and sell off council housing – while private rents rocket sky-high.

People are struggling to keep a roof over their heads and provide the basic everyday requirements such as food for their families. We have been ever since the Tories came into power in 2010.

Since 2010 we have seen the number of evictions rise by 53% which is equivalent to around 250 evictions each day. These figures really show the shortage of affordable housing for the 99%.

Up to the age of 26 I lived with my parents, with no prospect of moving out on the wage of a nursery nurse, until I met my partner, who I now live with.

But what the Socialist Party calls for is a mass programme of affordable council housing for everyone. We demand democratic working class control over how much rent we pay, especially in the rip-off private tenancy sector. We fight for a £10 an hour minimum wage with no exemptions. We also call for reversing all benefit cuts.

This programme of action could guarantee a better standard of living for all.