Calls for supporting social tenants to be central to new UK Government's priorities

As Labour record a landslide victory in the General Election, with significant change in Scotland, SFHA are reiterating calls for social tenants to be supported through an ongoing cost-of-living crisis.  

Prior to the General Election, SFHA had written to all of the UK’s party leaders alongside the housing federations in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland calling for the next Government to introduce a social tariff in the energy market to tackle fuel poverty. 

SFHA had also campaigned for an Essentials Guarantee to ensure that the level of Universal Credit was sufficient to cover the cost of basic essentials. 

Reacting to the election result, SFHA Chief Executive Sally Thomas said: “Firstly I would like to congratulate the new UK Government for their election win, we look forward to working with them and MPs across Scotland to support our housing associations and social tenants over the coming years. 

“I’d also like to put on record our thanks to Scotland’s departing MPs for their service and extend our best wishes to them for the future. 

“Following this election, we need to see MPs in Scotland standing up for the housing associations that are vital to their communities. Our social homes create thriving places and, put simply, they need your support to continue to flourish. 

“We also need to see policy change. Throughout this election, we’ve been pushing all parties to commit to providing the support that social tenants across Scotland really need. That means social security that allows them to meet their basic needs and affordable energy bills.  

“We look forward to working constructively with the new Government on these policy calls and will engage with them in the weeks and months ahead.”