Will Housing Waiting Lists rise ?

Housing Waiting lists and Homelessness will rise according to a LGA survey…..

http://www.rightsnet.org.uk/housing/news/item/councils-warn-of-rise-in-homelessness-and-waiting-lists

This wont happen, homelessness will go up….. but miraculously waiting lists will fall.

Simple reason is that everywhere you look, councils and government are imposing tougher eligibility criteria on joining lists eg in the form of stricter residency criteria, former tenant arrears etc. The latest gov guidance wants residency to be extended to a 4 year wait (on moving into an area) before you can even join the list ....... 

That’s what happens in a housing crisis…. homelessness goes up so councils have to develop tougher criteria on your folks in “housing need” (eg overcrowded, insanitary) waiting on their lists..

http://www.theguardian.com/money/2014/feb/01/council-house-waiting-lists-slashed.

So when the lower figures come out…..be warned your numbers on the Housing waiting list is increasingly a poor indicator of housing need in your area

So, ironically the government can use this, crudely, as further justification for the bedroom tax by pointing to the availability of alternative accommodation.