Housing discrimination in the UK has a long and disappointing history. Ethnic minority families live in worse conditions, although they spend more on housing. Ethnic minority families are spending a larger slice of their income on housing costs than white British families. Arab and Black adults are at the sharp end of Britain’s housing crisis.
Differences in income cannot explain the gap. Some ethnic groups—such as Chinese adults—typically earn more but spend more of their salary on housing. Racial and ethnic discrimination may play a part in the cost of housing. The risk of inequality in housing provision widens social tensions. These inequalities affect the cohesion of society.
Housing Discrimination in the UK: No White, No House
Unfortunately, housing has historically been a tool for discrimination. Despite much progress, housing discrimination in the UK remains the case for some of the minority groups in the research. One percent of white British adults report facing racial discrimination in housing access. This is in contrast with up to 9% for Arab households and 7% for Black Caribbean households. It also opposes with 6% for Black African households. Research highlights that minorities often face tangible barriers when renting due to biases from landlords or letting agents.
The disparities in homeownership rates are attributable to many factors. For one, past government policies supported white homeownership while excluding many Black households from similar benefits. The research highlights that Black African and Black other adults are likely to experience racial discrimination in their local areas. Shockingly, 26 % of Black others experienced discrimination from a neighbor. Black African, Chinese, Bangladeshi, and Arab experienced 15, 14, and 13% respectively.
Housing Discrimination in the UK: The Reality by the Resolution Foundation
The UK is becoming an increasingly diverse country. However, it is increasingly evident that persistent and significant ethnic inequalities remain. New research on housing discrimination in the UK from the Resolution Foundation was introduced at an event titled ‘No place like home?’ It highlights the stark reality and data behind these inequalities. The research highlights some salient points. One is that even higher-income ethnic minority groups spend most of their budgets on housing compared to white British households.
However, the risk of inequality in housing provision, access, and quality means widening mistrust and deepening social tensions. These inequalities do not exist in a vacuum. They can often impact social cohesion, community safety, and antisocial behavior.Welfare and immigration policies are contributing to sharply unequal access to affordable housing among Black, Asian and minority ethnic communitie.
Housing Discrimination in the UK: Ethnic Minority Equals Discrimination
Housing is most importantly a human right. Under international law, to be adequately housed means not having to worry about being evicted or having home or lands taken away. Ethnic minority families spend more on housing but live in worse conditions, the report says. Ethnic minority families are spending a larger slice of their income on housing costs compared to white British families. It is despite living in more overcrowded substandard homes, a new report has found.
New research from think tank Resolution Foundation suggested this could be due to fewer ethnic minority households owning their homes. It also found discrimination could be a factor. Ethnic minority adults are more likely than their white British peers to live in London and the South East, which have higher housing costs.
Housing Discrimination in the UK: Black, Bangladeshi and Arab
Researchers found that the experiences of different ethnic minorities also varied. Black, Bangladeshi, and Arab families fare worse than Indian and Chinese households. Moreover, Bangladeshi and Arab adults spend more than twice as much of their household income on housing as white British adults. It is 23% and 26%, respectively, compared to 11%. White British adults are also more likely to own their homes than Black African or Arab adults, with 72% compared to 35% and 31%.
Arab and Black adults are at the sharp end of Britain’s housing crisis, the report found. It added that they have relatively poor experiences on every single housing metric. The metrics included affordability, poor housing conditions, and discrimination from neighbors and housing access.
Housing Discrimination in the UK: The Damper, the Better
The research on housing discrimination in the UK found that the cost disparity did not mean that ethnic minority adults were in better and more expensive homes. On the contrary, they were more likely to live in overcrowded substandard homes, with more dampness and less access to outside space.
Bangladeshi and Black-African households were around three times more likely than white peers to live in damp homes. However, the Resolution Foundation found they spend twice as much of their income on housing.
Housing Discrimination in the UK: Income Is Not the Cause
The report also suggested that the differences in income cannot explain the gap. Some ethnic groups, such as Chinese adults, typically earn more but spend much of their salary on housing, researchers said. Owning a home entails lower housing costs to income ratio on average. 41% of white British adults live in a household that owns their home outright. It is more than any other ethnicity. In addition, it is over three times the proportion of adults in the Arab (11%), Black African (7%) and Black other groups (6%).
Authors suggested racial and ethnic discrimination may play a part in the cost of housing. Recent research by Generation Rent found minority ethnic renters were more likely to experience hostile behavior from a landlord or letting agent.
Housing Discrimination in the UK: Live in the Local Area to Live
Resolution Foundation researchers also listed a stronger attachment to community and neighborhood among Arab, Indian, Pakistani, and Bangladeshi families, which could be leading households to pay more to stay in their local area. Black African, Black Caribbean, and Arab adults are also over-represented at least three-fold among people who are homeless or are under the threat of homelessness, the report highlighted.
Camron Aref-Adib, economist at the Resolution Foundation, said: “Ethnic minorities are spending a higher share of their income on keeping a roof over their heads. “This affordability gap can’t be fully explained by where people live and whether they own or rent. Black African and Bangladeshi households are three times more likely to live in damp homes than their white British counterparts”. At Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, Prof Glen Bramley used data from the government’s 2016-2018 English Housing Surveys. He said that the link between homelessness and race discrimination is distressing.
