The Lead

The Lead

Home
Notes
The Lead Says
The Lead Untangles
The Lead in Conversation (£)
The Lead North
Health
Environment
Housing
Education
Culture
Pitch us!
Archive
Leaderboard
About

Housing

Disabled Londoner with MBE left homeless by his own council
When disability advocate Isaac Harvey needed urgent support, Redbridge Council had nothing to offer but delays, confusion and unsafe options.
 • Natalie Morris and The Lead
We are deep in a housing crisis – why are so many properties still empty?
New data reveals councils are barely taking over empty homes anymore, amid calls for a new national programme to bring unused properties back into use.
 • Matty Edwards and The Lead
New asylum policies making homeless refugees “targets for the far right”
Labour’s abrupt return to the 28-day move-on period is pushing vulnerable people into rough sleeping and exposing them to fraud and abuse.
 • The Lead and Chaminda Jayanetti
The Lead Untangles: Is there a simple solution to the homelessness crisis?
Ahead of the Budget, the housing sector is united in calling for Local Housing Allowance rates to be unfrozen – will Reeves listen?
 • Matty Edwards and The Lead
London is getting homeless families out of hotels – but the crisis is far from over
Councils in the capital have managed to vastly reduce the number of families in hotels and B&Bs, but is this really a win in the battle against…
 • Matty Edwards and The Lead
13 Labour MPs have joined our call for Council Tax Reform
It's about time. And there's stirrings in the North of England.
 • Ella Glover and The Lead
The scramble for a spare room
Inside the experience of trying to get by in houses of multiple occupation and the realities of renting in 2025. Ella Glover writes as the Renters…
 • Ella Glover and The Lead
A landlord should never be the homelessness minister
Plus: Our summer reads in a bumper The Lead Digest, ReformWatch including the Reform UK Board election and latest from The Lead North.
 • Zoe Grunewald and The Lead
How Bristol put a lid on temporary accommodation costs amid homelessness crisis
Councils are piloting ways to tackle the cost of housing a record number of homeless families while we wait for a new strategy from the government.
 • The Lead and Matty Edwards
A crucial safety net for Britain's homeowners is facing the scrap heap
Plus: Child poverty is getting worse – what will Labour do about it? And, the NHS ten-year plan tell us your thoughts...
 • Hannah Fearn and The Lead
A year of Labour in power - the report card, part I
We rank how Keir Starmer and the government is performing against a progressive agenda on the economy, NHS, housing and education and you give your…
 • Zoe Grunewald and The Lead
I was homeless. Tackling rough sleeping requires a system overhaul – decriminalisation is just the start
Plus: Another scoop from The Lead North about the so-called 'Reform Pub', councillors are dropping like flies in this week's Reform Watch, and all our…
 • The Lead and Chantelle Lunt
© 2026 The Lead Newspapers Limited · Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Start your SubstackGet the app
Substack is the home for great culture