G15 puts impact of the housing crisis on young people at heart of NHF Summit

At the National Housing Summit that took place in Birmingham this week, the G15 led a panel discussion about the impact of the housing crisis on young social housing residents and considered how the sector can work to address these issues.

‘Uncertain Futures: the impact of the housing crisis on young people and their mental health’ heard from panellists Geeta Nanda, G15 Chair and MTVH CEO, Sahil Khan, Peabody’s Director of Community, Strategy, Partnerships and Funding and was chaired by the NHF's Executive Director of Member Services, Simon Nunn.

The session drew on MTVH's Housing Futures report published earlier this year that fuses national opinion polling alongside a series of focus groups with young MTVH residents. The report found that six in ten young people say that thinking about their future housing situation is affecting their mental health and four in five people are putting off life decisions due to uncertainty surrounding their housing future. The panellists discussed the findings that emerged from the report on the housing futures young people want to see, from wanting a secure home of their own, to being heard and taken seriously on housing issues.

Sahil also gave insight into the Peabody Index, Peabody's annual research report that gathers data on residents to better understand the issues impacting them. Sahil spoke about the many adult children living with their parents, particularly in London, due to unaffordable living costs, and the myriad of issues this causes, from overcrowding to poor mental health.

Geeta shared her thoughts on what action must be taken to address the report's stark findings. During the session, she called for:

• Many more affordable homes to be built.
• Financial and housing education to be provided in schools an colleges, that gives young people high quality information about savings, mortgages and housing applications.
• Young people's voices to be heard on the development of homes and the management of their communities.

The session also heard some insightful questions and comments from the audience, ranging from housing education in schools to housing support for young LGBTQ+ people.

The panel event highlighted that a renewed focus on solving the housing crisis to support the next generation to achieve their hopes and ambitions in life is required.

Geeta also spoke at one of the opening sessions of the summit, on how housing associations can weather the storm and step up for communities. She commented that despite the many challenges facing the sector, building affordable homes must remain a priority.

The summit was a brilliant opportunity for the sector to reflect, collaborate and create solutions to the issues impacting our residents and the communities we serve.