Duncan Smith

Conference pledged to campaign against the bedroom tax and for the benefit cap to be replaced by controls on rents and will urge investment in new council and housing association houses at affordable rents.

UNISON will also continue working to bring housing arms-length management organisations back in-house and to oppose the privatisation of housing management; and will provide guidance for branches on revised stock transfer guidelines.

Duncan Smith, City of Edinburgh told delegates that some years ago the branch helped beat an attempt by Edinburgh Council to privatise the housing stock, and recently it has started to build council houses again, “but nowhere near enough”.

“It would need 1000 affordable homes to be built every year to meet demand,” said Duncan. He condemned the government’s welfare reforms which will increase the levels of homelessness amongst young people and will force some to return to or remain in family homes where they may be at risk.

“The limitations of housing benefit to cover only a shared room rather than a whole flat directly discriminates against younger people.”