The document discusses the impact of low minimum and living wages on young adults in the UK, highlighting that their incomes have fallen compared to other demographics, leading to increased inequality. As of April 2016, the minimum wage for adults over 25 is set to rise to £7.20, while the average house prices continue to climb, further straining affordability for young people. There is a significant shortfall in housing construction, with only about half of the necessary homes built to accommodate the growing demand, underscoring the need for advocacy and support around housing and wage issues.

1. The minimum/ living wage and
housing in the UK

2. “It is likely to be the first time in industrialised
history, save for periods of war or natural disaster,
that the incomes of young adults have fallen so far
when compared with the rest of society. A
combination of debt, joblessness, globalisation,
demographics and rising house prices is depressing
the incomes and prospects of millions of young
people across the developed world, resulting in
unprecedented inequality between generations”
Caelainn Barr and Shiv Malik

3. Minimum Wage and living
wage
As of April 2016: Minimum wage will rise £7.20 replacing the £6.70 current
minimum wage. However this only applies to over 25 year olds
Listed below is the minimum wage for the different age brackets in the UK
21-24 year olds: £6.70
18- 20 years olds: £5.30
16- 17 year olds: £3.87
Apprentice rate: £3.30
The current UK Living Wage - £8.25 an hr (London £9.40 hr) –
The Real Living Wage is calculated according to the basic cost of living in the UK

4. “Living wage”
Since there has been a failure to introduce a real
living wage, we have seen a massive increase on
the reliance of state support and especially
housing benefits

5. Housing in the UK
The National Housing Federation estimated
that 974,000 homes needed to be built
between 2011 and 2014 to address the
growing number of people displaced, with no
fixed address or trying to find their own
home
figures from 326 councils showed that
only 457,490 of the 974,000 were built

6. Average mix-adjusted house prices in February
2016:
England: £298,000
Scotland: £189,000
Wales: £173,000
Northern Ireland: £157,000
House Prices

7. House price index Feb 2016
London continued to be
the English region with
the highest average house
price at £524,000
While the North East had
the lowest average house
price at £158,000.
In February 2016, the average price paid for a house by a first-time buyer
was £214,000

8. Changing aspirations
In 1975 only 62% of people aspired to own their
own home in the following ten years, whereas In
2010 89% saw owner-occupation as the ideal
long-term tenure.

9. Buying a property
The problem with buying a house is the serious
affordability gap between what you earn, can save
and then what you need to spend on a deposit and
repaying a mortgage
Prior to 2003, up to 5% of all mortgage holders
were repaying only the interest on their loan and
lacked an alternative investment plan to pay off the
capital. By 2008 this had reached 12 per cent.

10. Renting a property
There was a shift and massive changes were made to the
rights of people living in privately rented accommodation in
1997, the changes in tenants rights has led to a lot of people
feeling unsecure while renting, and more often than you'd like
the think new build property's only advertise for a 3month
tenancy, and people are often only being given a months
notice to find another place to live
This is one of the reasons why it is so important for you to
know what your entitled to before moving into a property or
signing an agreement, as no two agreements are guaranteed
to give you the same rights

11. Get Advice, Support & Resources
There are a number of places you can go to get information on the
living wage, affordable housing and any other issues affecting your
welfare, these include:
UNISON.html
Citizens Advice.html
Shelter.html
Turn2us.html
Housing Federation.html

12. • Become active within your Union: UNISON.html
• Sign a manifesto for affordable housing:
PricedOut.html
• Lobby your MP, if you are unsure of who they are you
can find out here: Find your MP.html
• Become active with the housing federation: Housing
Federation.html
Want to do more?

13. To get in contact with your Branch
Email: bristol.unison@bristolunison.co.uk
Phone: 0117 9540053
For anything relating to Young Members
please email:
youngmembers@bristolunison.co.uk

14. @unisonymsw
@unisonsouthwestregionalyoungmembers