The cost of housing fuels poverty in the capital. Many Londoners do not have access to genuinely affordable, decent quality and secure housing. Creating more homes is essential, as are places that create a sense of community, where people can feel safe and can participate. The wider environment is also vital, from the air we breathe to the open and green spaces Londoners have access to.
What we'll fund
Advocacy work
This can include campaigning, organising, policy work and research on issues such as:
- Making housing more affordable. This includes: new and existing housing; reducing the cost of housing; and tackling secondary costs such as letting agency fees and tenancy deposits.
- Improving the quality of housing and security of tenure, particularly in the private rented sector, including better regulation and reducing evictions.
- Improving the provision of temporary accommodation.
- Increasing tenants’ collective voice and influence over their homes, and their neighbourhoods, especially the built environment, green spaces and transport.
- Improving understanding of public attitudes on renting and affordable housing.
- Engaging people on low incomes in planning and regeneration, including of housing estates and neighbourhoods.
- Improving the quality of neighbourhoods people live in, particularly the built environment and green spaces, as well as air quality.
Housing legal advice
Legal casework and representation in areas of law that fall outside of legal aid, particularly in relation to the private rented sector. We will only fund organisations who are already undertaking legal casework and preferably hold the AQS at this level or equivalent. We will also fund strategic legal work to challenge unlawful policy and practice in housing.
Action Research
To strengthen and learn about promising approaches to tackling complex housing and homelessness issues in London. Work funded will normally bring in new or additional resources, be risky or challenging, and have a good standard of evidence in support of it.
Improving the capacity and skills of civil society
Work on housing-related issues. This means we will fund second-tier organisations to support other groups to improve their practice, share knowledge and influence.
