Back the Bill campaign response to Senedd debate on right to adequate housing

Back the Bill campaign partners – Tai Pawb, Sheter Cymru and CIH Cymru - welcomed the historic vote in the Senedd on Wednesday 8 January where representatives from all parties spoke positively about making housing a legal right in Wales.

This cross-party support marks an important step forward in our campaign to secure the right to a good home for all, especially as we look ahead to the Senedd elections in 2026. 

Back the Bill campaign research has shown that the people of Wales support a legal right to housing, with over three-quarters of people surveyed in favour of Wales creating this legal right. There’s also broad support from the housing sector in Wales. More than two-thirds of the chief executives from housing associations across Wales have actively signed the pledge to Back the Bill for a legal right to adequate housing. Academics, civil society organisations and leaders from charities including Amnesty International, Crisis, the WCVA, The Bevan Foundation, Llamau, Care & Repair Cymru have also endorsed the call. 

This success in the Senedd comes against a lack of action from the Welsh Government, whose current White Paper consultation on ‘securing a path towards adequate housing’ falls short in both ambition and detail to effectively provide safe, secure homes for the people of Wales.

Back the Bill’s Alternative White Paper sets out additional questions which can help build this evidence base and we encourage interested parties to read this document and its proposals.  

Independent cost-benefit analysis conducted by Alma Economics for the Back the Bill Campaign shows that creating a legal right to adequate housing in Wales will lead to £11.5 billion of benefits, against £5 billion of costs in realising the right. Savings will be made by local government, the NHS as well as benefits to the education system. Incorporating a right to adequate housing into law is not just morally right, it’s fiscally prudent.

Tai Pawb commented: “Politicians and the housing sector now agree with the public that we should make a fundamental shift-change, where housing is  a human right in Wales. Now is the time to make the change and adopt a human rights based approach so everyone in Wales can, over time, have a home that is safe, suits their needs and one that they can afford.” 

Shelter Cymru added: “The outcome of Wednesday’s debate is an important step forward. Poor quality homes and homelessness affect our health, wellbeing and access to opportunities through work and education. Prioritising homes through a legal right to adequate housing will promote and support the wider systems change needed to end homelessness in Wales for this and future generations.”