Research reveals social housing’s racism shame

Industry leaders are calling for urgent change following two damning reports that expose the persistence of systemic racism in the housing and homelessness sector. Writing in Housing Digital Mark Cantrell highlights research from Heriot-Watt University and Shelter that sheds light on the stark inequalities faced by Black and Black Mixed heritage households across the UK.

The studies reveal that Black families are almost four times more likely to become homeless than their White counterparts, yet less than half as likely to be offered a permanent social home. Participants spoke of discrimination, racial profiling, and being forced to mask aspects of their identity just to access services. These findings are echoed by sector leaders, including the Chartered Institute of Housing, who acknowledge that racial inequalities are deeply rooted and cannot be ignored.

Both reports make clear recommendations, prioritising the delivery of social rent homes, embedding equity and diversity into planning and policy, creating a national commission on racial discrimination in housing and recognising access to safe and affordable housing as a human right. For decades, Black and global majority communities have faced disadvantage in housing and as BME-led organisations have consistently shown, tackling these inequalities requires urgent reshaping, accountability, and the voices of those with lived experience at the centre of change. At BME National, we remain committed to working with partners, policymakers, and communities to confront systemic racism in housing and to ensure that everyone has fair and equal access to a safe, secure, and suitable home.

You can find the full article written by Mark Cantrell here - https://housingdigital.co.uk/research-reveals-social-housings-racism-shame