Housing committee says standardised application forms and data collection frameworks should be developed
The capital’s “opaque, confusing and unfair” social housing system is preventing large numbers of people from accessing it, according to the London Assembly housing committee.
In a new report, the committee found that while the shortage of homes is the primary cause of a waiting list with more than 341,000 households, failures in the allocation system were making access harder and less fair.
In some boroughs, the report claims, waiting times for larger homes can reach up to 33 years, with applicants describing the process as confusing and distressing.
The assembly members said that certain groups, including disabled people and domestic abuse survivors, faced particular barriers.
It highlighted policies such as debt-related disqualifications that can exclude some of those in greatest need, for instance women who are in debt as a result of domestic abuse.
Meanwhile, deaf and disabled people and families with neurodivergent children on waiting lists reported medical assessments for eligibility to be “slow, arduous and lacking humanity”.
The investigation also found, through Freedom of Information requests, that information on waiting times and disqualification policies was often incomplete and that, where provided, data was difficult to meaningfully compare across boroughs.
It also criticised low inter-tenure mobility, which is limiting the number of homes being freed up for households on waiting lists.
Committee chair Zoë Garbett, of the Green Party, said: “Too many Londoners are trapped in a system that is confusing, inconsistent, and at times deeply unfair.
“While the shortage of social housing is the biggest challenge, the system itself often makes Londoners’ experience of the housing crisis even worse and homelessness even harder to solve.
“We heard from Londoners facing years of uncertainty, poor communication, and decisions that simply don’t make sense.
“When people cannot access housing because the process is too complex or the rules are too harsh, the system is not working as it should and fails those who need it most.
“While we urgently need more social housing, there is also clear scope to make the system we have more transparent, consistent, and humane.”
The report considered whether a pan-London housing register or a single prioritisation approach across the city could be implemented, but said it “did not receive enough evidence to suggest that these approaches should currently be adopted”.
However, it did recommend that the mayor work with the Regulator of Social Housing and London Councils to develop a standardised application form for social housing applicants, as well as a standardised framework for data collection on allocations.
It further suggested that future iterations of the London Domestic Abuse Safe Accommodation Strategy 2025-28 should include debt and constrained financial resources in its ‘Characteristics of victims/survivors seeking support’ description.
The committee also recommended that improvements be made to the medical assessment process and that the housing ministry consider adding a stipulation to the tenancy standard to prevent councils excluding social housing applicants on the grounds of low income.
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