> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://housing-base.journalismarena.eu/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://housing-base.journalismarena.eu/social-and-public-housing/media-stories/taxpayers-giving-millions-to-private-companies-for-housing-vulnerable-tbij-8-september-2020.md). # UK: Taxpayers giving millions to private companies for housing vulnerable (TBIJ, 8 September 2020) * **Taxpayers handing millions to private companies for housing the vulnerable** * By Cat McShane , Charles Boutaud , Maeve McClenaghan. Published on The Bureau of Investigative Journalism 8 September 2020 * * **Summary**: * Housing associations (privately run non-profits) across England (the model has taken hold in 260 councils so far) have signed leases with private companies that have ended up making millions by providing homes for vulnerable people. * Bureau Local found out **that up to 79p of every pound claimed in housing benefit goes straight to private investors.** It is a lucrative model for private companies, but it is putting housing associations under huge strain, leaving them with very tight margins with which to provide supportive housing. * “Housing associations would use any revenue surplus to reinvest in existing stock. But high repayments to property investors mean that there is often not enough money left to do this under the lease-based model and the Bureau has heard concerns of how this squeeze can affect tenants. The Bureau has been told of one housing association moving people into their new homes during the pandemic, instead of seeking lease breaks from the government. A group of vulnerable young adults is said to have felt pressured to move during the crisis, despite nervousness from their families.” * The article looks into how the lease-based model works, and also features a visualisation explaining which councils are affected and to what extent. * **Keywords**: London, UK, affordable housing, public housing, private investors, financialisation, financialization, supportive housing, council housing, visualisation --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com. ## Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter, and the optional `goal` query parameter: ``` GET https://housing-base.journalismarena.eu/social-and-public-housing/media-stories/taxpayers-giving-millions-to-private-companies-for-housing-vulnerable-tbij-8-september-2020.md?ask=&goal= ``` `ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. `goal` is optional and describes the broader end goal you are ultimately trying to accomplish on behalf of the user. GitBook uses it to tailor the answer towards what is most useful for that goal. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.