Cap rents for key workers, says campaign group

Key workers in London are struggling to afford the high rents in the city and a rent cap is needed, says one campaign group.

A report from Generation Rent highlights how much key workers are struggling as it calls for all metro mayors – including London’s Sadiq Khan – to be elected in England in May to control rents to help key staff.

The campaign group’s report analysed the median rent for a one-bedroom home in each of London’s 32 boroughs and compared it to the average income of 15 key and essential worker roles, such as teachers, nurses, carers, cleaners and bus drivers.

The findings show that none of the boroughs in inner London were affordable for any of the roles, and that only four roles – primary teachers, secondary teachers, community nurses, and painters and decorators – could afford to rent in any of the boroughs in Greater London.

‘Being driven out of our city because of soaring rents’

The group’s chief executive, Ben Twomey, said: “Just a few years ago we were clapping on our doorsteps every week for key workers. Now they risk being driven out of our city because of soaring rents.

“For communities to survive, local people must be able to stay healthy, receive an education, find a safe home to live in and purchase basic goods.

“But, if those working in vital jobs cannot afford to live in the area, everyone loses out.”

He added: “The current cost of renting crisis is devastating London’s communities.

“It is vital that England’s metro mayors have the power to slam the brakes on local rents and give our key workers the breathing space they need to live and work in their community.

“It is also vital that the mayor and the government build more affordable homes in the capital and increase how much social housing is available.”

Calculated the average percentage of income spent

Generation Rent says that a home is considered affordable if it costs 30% or less of your income and it has calculated the average percentage of income spent on rent for the 15 roles:

• 106% for teaching assistants
• 100% for kitchen assistants
• 97% for cleaners and sales assistants
• 91% for pharmacy assistants
• 90% for receptionists
• 86% for hairdressers
• 82% for care workers
• 76% for chefs
• 66% for painters and decorators
• 63% for bus drivers
• 56% for community nurses
• 49% for primary teachers
• 46% for secondary teachers.

Average rent was more than the entire salary

The report also found that for the five lowest-paid jobs, there were four boroughs – the City of London, Islington, Kensington and Chelsea, and Westminster – where the average rent was more than the entire salary.

Teaching assistants faced the most severe affordability issues, with the most affordable borough being Sutton, where they would still spend 62% of their income on rent, and the least affordable being Westminster, where they would need 145% of their income to cover the rent.

The report comes ahead of the London Mayor election in May, where Generation Rent is calling on the candidates to pledge to cap rents and boost the supply of social housing in the city.

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