Our response to the Spring Budget 2024 – Antonia Jennings, CEO of Centre for London:

“The Spring budget came with some key highlights – like investing in digitising our NHS so the system is improved for patients and staff alike. It also contained some real lows – continuing to freeze fuel duty ignores the environmental impact of cars and puts money into the pockets of the already wealthier households who can afford to own their own cars. Equally, the 1% uplift for public services does nothing to rectify government cuts over the past 14 years. The impact of paying for the National Insurance tax cut could also have a huge impact on our public services. Unprotected departments, such as local councils and the justice system, could face further cuts of up to 18%.

Yet, there was one key omission. Housing. With 175,000 Londoners living in temporary accommodation, and rough sleeping up by 50% in the last decade, the Conservative government are simply not doing enough to rectify London’s housing crisis. While their inaction persists councils are going bankrupt, children are suffering in unsuitable temporary accommodation, and people continue to lack a safe space to call home.

Jeremy Hunt has offered a meagre £242million of investment to build 8000 homes in Barking Riverside and Canary Wharf. This doesn’t even scratch the surface of the 37,000 additional new homes required in London a year, nor does it make any mention of the 30,000 new social homes required in the capital. Until this government can properly invest in housing – including a £15.1bn investment in social homes – severe health issues, poverty and inequality in the capital will only increase.”