Priority housing to end Met brain drain, London mayor pledges
Plans to prioritise officers and staff for affordable homes could stem the brain drain from the Metropolitan Police.London’s mayor Sadiq Khan has announced plans to help new recruits and staff buy a home in the capital.
They will be added to a list run by the Mayor’s office of essential London workers - also including NHS and firefighters - who will be given priority access to buy or rent homes below market rates.
Last November the Met re-introduced London residency requirements for recruits. For most forms of entry there is now a requirement that the applicant has lived or studied in one of London's Boroughs for three out of the previous six years when they apply to join.
Mayor Khan says an order will be set in planning guidance for local authorities to use the list to give people in Blue Light occupations help to get on the property ladder.
They will be offered two options: London Shared Ownership and London Living Rent where they either rent a new build home or buy it in stages – usually through a housing association.
Sadiq Khan said: “London’s key workers are the lifeblood of our city and we all depend on their hard work every day – to keep us safe, to care for us, and to provide other essential services.
“Making it easier for key workers to live in the city they serve with such dedication is the very least they deserve. Housing costs have driven far too many Londoners away, robbing us of their skills and expertise. Providing more access to Intermediate housing, alongside much-needed homes for social rent, will play a vital role in turning that tide.”
Both Federation and Metropolitan Police Chiefs have warned that staff have been priced out of living in the capital.
All of the police housing stock was sold off to counter austerity budget cuts leaving officers to fend for themselves.
The UK needs to build 300,000 new homes year but has not done this since 1979 and most starter developments do not focus on low income groups.
It’s a critical issue, highlighted in a Police Oracle interview last year by Assistant Chief Constable of Suffolk Rob Jones. He moved from the Met and said many others are going because of house prices.
The Fed has warned the price barrier has created killer commutes that are forcing officers to drive or bike in for up to two hours a day in all weather conditions.
ACC Jones also warned that it is a barrier to effective intelligence and diversity as an increasing number of officers have no connection to local neighbourhoods.
A Probationary Officer’s wage is £30,294 including nearly £7,000 for weighting and allowances.
The Mayor’s announcement revealed just how big the barrier to getting a home is for them.
The median average price of a flat in London is £426,000 – which can be more than 13 times a nurse’s income.
Although a start, the number of new developments remains low. The number of shared ownership homes completed in the year to end of March 2020 was 3,111.
The number of homes at social rent levels started in London has also increased from zero in the last year of Boris Johnson’s term as mayor to more than 7,000 last year.
Increasing housing will be essential if the Met is to hold onto more of its staff. The force is 33,000-strong and is taking a quarter of the 6,000 new Uplift recruits.
The scheme is being supported by the capital’s housing associations who have targets for new-build developments.
Chair of the G15 group of London’s largest housing associations, Helen Evans said: “Everyone needs a safe, secure and affordable home. Many of the key workers who have done such a fantastic job keeping essential services running during the pandemic, struggle to afford a home reasonably near to where they work.
“The G15 fully supports the Mayor’s aim of ensuring London’s key workers have access to the safe, secure and affordable homes they deserve.”
News Archive
- December 2023 (3)
- November 2023 (5)
- October 2023 (4)
- September 2023 (5)
- August 2023 (4)
- July 2023 (3)
- June 2023 (5)
- May 2023 (2)
- April 2023 (5)
- March 2023 (3)
- February 2023 (7)
- January 2023 (11)
- December 2022 (6)
- November 2022 (5)
- October 2022 (5)
- September 2022 (6)
- August 2022 (2)
- July 2022 (11)
- June 2022 (8)
- May 2022 (11)
- April 2022 (8)
- March 2022 (3)
- February 2022 (5)
- January 2022 (12)
- December 2021 (1)
- November 2021 (9)
- October 2021 (4)
- September 2021 (10)
- August 2021 (9)
- July 2021 (12)
- June 2021 (4)
- May 2021 (11)
- April 2021 (14)
- March 2021 (14)
- February 2021 (19)
- January 2021 (18)
- December 2020 (6)
- November 2020 (12)
- October 2020 (14)
- September 2020 (15)
- August 2020 (16)
- July 2020 (16)
- June 2020 (18)
- May 2020 (22)
- April 2020 (18)
- March 2020 (23)
- February 2020 (20)
- January 2020 (4)
- December 2019 (5)
- November 2019 (6)
- October 2019 (5)
- September 2019 (6)
- August 2019 (8)
- July 2019 (6)
- June 2019 (8)
- May 2019 (8)
- April 2019 (8)
- March 2019 (10)
- February 2019 (9)
- January 2019 (9)
- December 2018 (9)
- November 2018 (12)
- October 2018 (8)
- September 2018 (7)
- August 2018 (11)
- July 2018 (7)
- June 2018 (9)
- May 2018 (9)
- April 2018 (12)
- March 2018 (10)
- February 2018 (8)
- January 2018 (5)
- December 2017 (6)
- November 2017 (4)
- October 2017 (3)
- September 2017 (10)
- August 2017 (5)
- July 2017 (5)
- June 2017 (6)
- May 2017 (6)
- April 2017 (2)
- March 2017 (3)
- February 2017 (4)
- January 2017 (1)
- December 2016 (3)
- November 2016 (4)
- October 2016 (1)
- September 2016 (4)
- August 2016 (4)
- July 2016 (1)
- June 2016 (5)
- May 2016 (3)
- April 2016 (1)
- March 2016 (3)
- February 2016 (3)
- January 2016 (3)
- December 2015 (3)
- November 2015 (3)
- October 2015 (3)
- September 2015 (2)
- August 2015 (1)
- July 2015 (11)
- June 2015 (1)