Thousands of people attended a housing protest in London on Saturday, calling on the government to introduce rent controls and expand council housing.
The demonstration took place in Soho Square Gardens in Westminster and was organised by over 40 organisations, including a coalition of tenant groups, housing campaigns and six national trade unions.
Protestors gathered from 13:00 BST, carrying placards reading ‘Rent controls now’ and ‘Council housing, not luxury flats’.
Organisers said the demonstration reflected ‘widespread frustration’ with government housing policy and a belief that it does not prioritise council house building.
In a statement that was published head of the event, campaigners said: ‘We are the countless people trapped in unaffordable, overcrowded and unsafe housing. We are the private renters, social housing tenants, families in temporary accommodation, and sleeping rough. We are the workers, disabled people, young and old. We are people of colour, migrants, queer and trans people. We are all driven to breaking point by the same system, and we demand change.’
They are calling for rent controls to be introduced, saying rising rents are a major cause of financial pressure for tenants and part of the wider cost of living.
To give context, separate findings from the Office for National Statistics show average private rents in London consumed around 42%-46% of tenant incomes in 2024-25. As a result, around 600,000 people (aged between 18 and 30) left the capital city.
Campaigners also want a large-scale council house building programme, arguing that local authorities should play a bigger role in providing homes for social rent.
David Hide, chair of the Labour Campaign for Council Housing, told Newstart: ‘It was inspiring to be part of such a large demonstration whose purpose was to demand that the government take action to end the housing crisis.
‘Our strapline is, there can be no resolution of the housing crisis without large scale council house building and we were united as one in calling for the government to dramatically increase funding to make this happen. We are also calling on the government to freeze council and the affordable housing sector rents and to scrap its intention of delivering above inflation rent increases to already struggling tenants.’
On its website, the Labour Campaign for Council Housing referenced a recent ITV interview with Housing Minister Steve Reed. Asked why the government does not follow the post-war Attlee government’s approach to council house building, he said people have ‘different aspirations’ today, adding that most want to become homeowners. Campaigners argue that home ownership is increasingly out of reach for many.
The group criticised the government’s Social & Affordable Homes programme, describing it as ‘flawed’ and insufficient to address the housing crisis. They point to research suggesting it delivers around 18,000 social rent homes a year, with no dedicated funding for council housing.
Campaigners also cite figures showing that the number of social rent homes in England has fallen below 1.5 million for the first time.
Hide added: ‘We will continue our campaign for as long as it takes but Saturday’s demonstration bringing so many individuals and housing campaign groups together was a great step forwarded.’
Image: Labour Campaign for Council Housing
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