London needs a fair system for social housing

With more than 341,000 households now on waiting lists in London – the highest level in over a decade – evidence heard by the London Assembly Housing Committee points to extreme pressure on councils and significant variation in how social housing allocation policies operate across boroughs.

Experts, academics and local authorities warn that the shortage of social housing combined with rising homelessness, overcrowding and evictions from the private rented sector are putting immense pressure on allocation systems, which are tasked with prioritising different complex housing needs. Evidence has also highlighted a lack of join up between councils and housing associations, and a growing “postcode lottery”, where waiting times, transparency and chances of being housed depend heavily on where a Londoner lives.

The Committee meets tomorrow to examine whether a more consistent pan-London approach is needed, and what role the Mayor could play – through guidance, frameworks or existing mobility schemes – to improve fairness, efficiency and outcomes in social housing allocation across the capital.

The guests are:

Panel 1 (14.00 – 15.15) 

• Daniel Reast, Senior Research Officer, Centre for London   

• Neil Morland, Independent Housing Consultant   

• Professor Katherine Brickell, Professor of Urban Studies, Kings College London   

• Dr Mel Nowicki, Senior Lecturer in Urban Geography, Oxford Brookes University 

Panel 2 (15.20 - 16.35) 

• Tom Copley, Deputy Mayor for Housing and Residential Development  

• Rory Weal, Interim Head of Housing Strategy, Housing and Land, Greater London Authority

The meeting will take place on Wednesday 17 December 2025 from 2pm in the Chamber at City Hall, Kamal Chunchie Way, E16 1ZE.

Media and members of the public are invited to attend.

The meeting can also be viewed LIVE or later via webcast or YouTube.

Follow us @LondonAssembly.