Responding to the new research from Shelter showing that an estimated 1.7 million private renters say they are likely to lose their job in the next three months because of the coronavirus crisis, Liberal Democrat spokesperson for MHCLG Tim Farron said: “Many renters up and down the country will have lost their livelihoods overnight due to the coronavirus crisis. We already know millions of people are simply not able to afford their rent at the moment and the fact that another 1.7 million are likely to lose their jobs over the coming months shows that this crisis is far from over.
“Before the coronavirus crisis even hit, the end of a private rented sector tenancy was the leading cause of homelessness. The housing crisis has been continuously ignored over the past five years and now the financial impact of the virus is set to make it even worse.
“If we want to stop more people finding themselves homeless, the Government needs to act fast. This research from Shelter not only shows that the Government needs to extend the suspension of evictions beyond June, but there is a desperate need to further increase the Local Housing Allowance.
“By shelving evictions and increasing the current housing allowance to match average local rents, the Government can help to prevent more people finding themselves without a roof over their heads.”