Skip to main content

Posts

Showing posts with the label poverty

Climate Change and Housing Inequality: The Vulnerable Bear the Greatest Burden

Climate change affects everyone, but its impacts are far from equal. Across the UK and globally, those living in poor quality housing face the harshest consequences of our changing climate, creating a cruel irony where the people who contributed least to global warming suffer most from its effects. The Heat Island Effect: When Housing Location Becomes Life-Threatening People on low incomes are more likely to live in housing not suited to heat and are twice as likely to live in places that are significantly hotter than neighbouring areas due to the 'urban heat island' effect. This phenomenon means that while affluent neighbourhoods enjoy tree-lined streets and green spaces that naturally cool the air, poorer communities endure concrete jungles that trap and intensify heat. The statistics are stark: around a quarter of the poorest families live in homes that regularly overheat, compared to just one in twenty of the richest households. This isn't simply about comfort—it...

The Long Shadow of Austerity

  Queues for first council housing in 30 years in Minehead. Courtesy BBC 19th June 2024 There's no doubt that it’s the impact of austerity measures implemented by the Conservative Government since 2010 that have disproportionately affected the most vulnerable, exacerbating inequality and poverty. Key areas impacted include public services, welfare benefits, and job security. Austerity has led to increased reliance on food banks, higher levels of debt, and greater mental health issues. And since the First World War the wealth gap has never been so wide. Policy changes are desperately needed to prioritise social protection and equitable economic recovery.