Impact Of Covid-19 On Housing In England Assessment Answer

Introduction

Like any other pandemic, COVID 19 had a devastating impact on poverty levels and inequality. Poor, elderly, disabled, homeless, migrant and minority populations have borne the brunt of the fallout from the pandemic. Governments are focusing on reducing infections and fatalities due to the virus. Along with these primary effects, the virus has affected society and the economies negatively. Thus, accounting for the increased poverty level globally; especially the lower-paid workers and poorer are facing varied forms of inequalities (Goldin and Muggah, 2020). Housing inequality has become a significant issue during the lockdown.

Impact of COVID-19 on Housing

Housing is an essential determinant of our health and wellbeing. At the period of lockdown during the COVID 19 pandemic, there are various housing insecurities such as homelessness, unaffordability, overcrowding and unstable tenancies. 

Isolation from the public contact staying at home and space deficit is some of the primary housing issues. 

(Source: Falconer, 2020)

As evidence in the published research by the National Housing Federation, shows in the U.K, 31% of adults had been facing physical or mental health-related problems connected with the space deficit in their home setting. 

It has also been determined that people around 3.7 million were residing in homes setting, which are overcrowded in this period together with 1.6 million children accounting for depression and sleep deprivation. 

It has also accounted for a higher risk of infection in a congested area (National Housing Federation, 2020). An investigation of ONS data by  Internal Housing determined a connection among the level of overcrowding in present councils at England and Wales and also their mortality rate due to COVID-19. 

The Covid-19 Disparities Report published by the U.K government in June 2020 concluded that the virus inexplicably has an impact upon the individuals from minority ethnic (BAME) groups, Black and Asians. (Hussain and Bird, 2020). However, there is no evidence of thorough research which correlates mortality due to Covid-19 by housing whereas collected data indicated that individual belongs to the ethnic communities of minority and black resides in over-crowded areas thus they found to be more vulnerable in this pandemic period. Racial and socioeconomic inequalities may be the cause of these housing circumstances (Hussain and Bird, 2020).

Significant housing insecurity is experienced by most of the people who are working in sectors which were closed at the lockdown period. Homeless people were also affected primarily because of the lack of homeless shelters and facilities (Clair, 2020). 

(Source: Wall, 2020)

(Source: Massey and Butcher, 2020)

Stakeholder’s Interventions

(Source: Robson, 2014)

(Source: Tempest, 2020)

(Source: Sa, 2017)

Measures are expected from the policymakers and stakeholders like improvement in the quality of housing and standards of space, growing social housing, Local Housing Allowance increment, and regulating private renting and also maintaining rented homes in social. Social housing offers, more secure, higher quality and more affordable housing (Clair, 2020) The UK Government’s ‘Homes at the Heart’ campaign is one such approach (National Housing Federation, 2020). 

Summary

Various evidences have shown that inequality among housing conditions may have previously contributed upon the unequal effect that the pandemic is expressing on multiple groups in the U.K. The government strategies and effort for controlling further spreading of the virus must consider all risk factors, including housing impact (Abbs and Marshall, 2020).