Social housing, in some form or other, has existed for around 100 years, beginning with post-WW1 slum clearing. Social housing today has a vague definition, with associated terms such as ‘council housing’ and ‘affordable housing’, neither offering up a strict definition explaining what we should expect from social housing, and what we should be aiming for.

Strictly speaking, social housing is a bit of an umbrella term and includes all housing schemes designed to make renting easier to society’s most vulnerable. This includes council housing, housing associations, and housing provided by charities. This means that there is a wide range of housing organisations that can call themselves social housing, without any guarantee of quality.

Many social housing organisations are thinly veiled attempts to make money, which blatantly and shameless skimp out on the basic needs of their residents. Compare the CEO of Clarion Housing Association’s salary with its Trustpilot reviews, and you’ll see that Clarion, like many other so-called social housing associations, is happy to disregard and endanger its residents in favour of lining its own pockets.

Should, then, social housing be abandoned as a good idea that failed to pan out thanks to the greed and negligence of those in charge? Not according to several leading UK charities that are currently advocating for the government to double down on social housing in the coming years.

Shelter, one of the most active UK charities tackling the homelessness problem, published a report outlining their vision of the future of social housing, in which they recommend building 3.1 million more social homes, and reforming the renting sector entirely to introduce higher standards and give social renters a stronger voice.

Some charities have acted on similar values and have constructed social housing of their own. Scottish charity Social Bite has, in partnership with Cyrenians, constructed a Social Village in Edinburgh designed to provide quality homes that are affordable for those with little to no income. Social Bite is committed to that quality which, in the wake of the Grenfell scandal where 72 people died due to the negligence of the constructors and building owners, has never been more important.

What’s more, the Social Village will have a 24-hour support service, provided by support charity Cyrenians, which will teach the residents basic life skills that they will need in the future, as well as mental health support if they should need it. There will also be social activities, and the residents will get the opportunity to interact and work with each other to improve their shared homes.

Of course, having to rely on charities to the provide basic amenities to our most vulnerable citizens that the government consistently fails to deliver is downright shameful, but for the time being, these charities must be praised for providing something that is sorely needed in the effort to tackle homelessness, and that is the support that they offer. It isn’t enough to simply house our society’s most vulnerable; they must be given the help needed to thrive. Considering the fact that 80% of unhoused people report to have some kind of untreated mental health issue, it becomes integral to the social housing process to give people access to the mental and physical support that they need. And this access to quality support delivered by well-trained, well-staffed professionals is what separates real social housing from the likes of council housing, or housing associations out to make money.

Thus, by examining the charities that are dedicated to its cause, we now have a clearer view of what social housing is, or rather what it should be. It’s not enough to give a person a roof over their heads, we must be committed to making sure that every social home is safe, secure, and provides the basic support services that are required to ensure that our most vulnerable members of society are given the best possible chance to escape a life of homelessness for good.

Words: Calum Rosie

Calum Rosie is a writer and correspondent for Immigrationnews.co.uk, a website dedicated to shedding light on immigration injustices and social issues.