Housing crisis exacerbating teacher recruitment problems

Prioritised access to affordable housing for all key workers, including teachers, is urgently needed to help address the recruitment and retention crisis in education.

The NASUWT-The Teachers’ Union has today called for improvements in the supply of housing in all areas to be reserved for key workers.

NASUWT research published earlier this year of teachers aged 30 and under found that 71% said housing costs were making them consider whether they will stay in teaching long term. One in five young teachers reported living at home with their parents.

More than four in ten teachers (42%) said housing costs have influenced where they have applied for a teaching post and almost three quarters (72%) don’t believe there is sufficient affordable housing for teachers where they live.

Of those who wish to buy more than half (57%) do not think this will be achievable on a teachers’ salary.

The NASUWT has today moved a motion at TUC Congress in Liverpool on affordable housing for key workers.

Dr Patrick Roach, NASUWT General Secretary, said:

“For the past decade the Government have failed to address the shortage of affordable housing and this has been made worse by huge real-term cuts to teachers’ pay.

“The lack of affordable homes to buy and rent is having significant negative effects on schools’ ability to attract and retain teachers.

“We are calling on the Government to prioritise teachers’ access to affordable housing and to extend discount schemes for rental and first-time buyers.”

Rosemary Carabine, NASUWT National President, who moved the motion, said:

“Rapidly rising property prices, the rises in mortgage interest rates caused by the Kamikwasi budget last year, and escalating rental costs have rendered housing unaffordable for many teachers.

“The lack of affordable housing options deters potential candidates from even considering applying to teach or work in some areas, only adding to the recruitment and retention crisis.”

ENDS

Notes to editors

TUC Congress is being held at the ACC in Liverpool from 10^th-13^th September.

Further details of the NASUWT’s research on housing can be found at https://www.nasuwt.org.uk/article-listing/call-for-discount-housing-schemes-to-help-teachers.html

A copy of the motion which was debated is below:

Secure, affordable housing for all workers

Congress asserts that the housing crisis is having a profound impact on living standards and exacerbating the recruitment and retention crisis in critical services including schools, the NHS and social care.

Congress further notes with concern that the shortage of affordable high-quality housing for key workers is impacting adversely on the provision of public services across the board, especially support for the most disadvantaged and vulnerable communities.

Key workers in both the public and private sector undertake an essential role in the functioning of the economy. Congress recognises the need to ensure all key workers, in particular low-paid key workers, can access their work without prohibitive housing or transport costs.

Congress condemns the failure of successive governments and administrations to address the shortage of affordable housing for working people and their families.

Congress agrees that all workers have the right to safe, decent and affordable housing, both while working away and in their wider lives.

Congress notes with concern:

1. the cost-of-living crisis created by the government is making decent housing unaffordable for many workers and families
2. unregulated private rents and the lack of affordable social housing are driving the boom in homelessness
3. the increased number of children living in temporary accommodation.

Congress notes the rise of short-term letting platforms and the failure to build sufficient affordable homes has transformed the housing market, including the traditional theatre ‘Digs’ system and driven significant cost increases to both short and long-term rented accommodation. This reduces feasible options for any worker seeking affordable, clean, safe accommodation, and has particularly impacted marginalised groups.

In a survey of nearly 1,000 performers and stage management:

1. 56 per cent said their experiences of accommodation would make them less likely to apply for jobs involving working away from home.
2. 71 per cent regularly felt unsafe in their accommodation.
3. 41 per cent said issues with accommodation had a detrimental impact on their mental health.

Congress endorses Equity’s Dignity in digs campaign to:

1. provide touring workers with accommodation that is safe, secure, clean, private and close to the venues they work within
2. place responsibility for securing appropriate accommodation on the engager
3. provide proper remuneration for Equity members to cover the additional costs of touring
4. introduce the strongest possible mandatory licensing schemes for short-term accommodation, with ongoing checks on quality and safety.

Congress calls on the General Council to campaign with unions, charities and other bodies for political parties to commit to:

1. prioritise building more high-quality affordable social housing as a key priority
2. prioritise access to affordable housing for all key workers, including teachers
3. ensure an adequate supply of reserved housing provision in all local authority areas for key workers
4. create and extend discount schemes for rental and first-time buyers in high-cost areas.
5. ensure hundreds of thousands of genuinely affordable homes are built in each year of the next decade
6. cap rent increases
7. increase the number of landlord licensing schemes in operation across the UK