May 18, 2010 3.54 pm This story is over 175 months old

McCartney facing housing crisis, says report

Housing crisis: Report warns new Lincoln MP will face an influx of housing complaints in his first week in office.

Lincoln’s new Conservative MP, Karl McCartney (pictured above), is faced with a housing crisis, warns a report from Shelter UK, the country’s leading housing advice charity. Shelter has vowed to write to McCartney this week, his first in office, offering support and advice in preparation for an expected influx of complaints.

Nearly three-quarters of MPs feel that housing is one of the top three problems raised by their constituents. A survey of 150 MPs from the last Parliament conducted by ComRes (PDF) warns that housing will also be one of the biggest issues for Lincoln’s new representative, Karl McCartney.

Campbell Robb, Chief Executive of Shelter, has expressed concern that the housing crisis was not a priority of the Conservatives or the Liberal Democrats in the recent election: “As well as being a vital issue for local people, addressing the housing crisis must now become an urgent priority for the new government.”

Shelter’s research has allowed them to predict that due to the current economic crisis, in the coming year at least 50,000 more homes will be repossessed. Robb explained: “Whether it is a young couple struggling to get their foot on the ladder, a family trapped in overcrowded conditions or someone facing eviction from their home, people from all backgrounds are facing housing problems.”

The City of Lincoln Council has been struggling with housing in recent years, as the number of council houses dropped significantly since the 1980s. After the introduction of Right to Buy schemes, the number of homes owned by the council dropped from 11,034 in 1980, to 7,858 in 2010.

Later update: May 19th, 13:53 — Karl McCartney replied to the Shelter UK warning:

“It has been clear to me for some time that housing is a real area of concern in a compact city like Lincoln, affecting those trying to get onto the housing ladder to those in council or rented accommodation. It is an area that I will be talking to the City Council and other agencies about over the coming months, to ensure there is the housing local people want and need.”

Sources: Shelter UK, ComRes | Photo: Lincoln Conservatives