General Election 2024
In the run up to the general election on July 4th, ACORN members decided upon on 4 key demands that we put to national parties and to local candidates, calling on them to support our policy positions and to commit to fighting for them if elected.
Our 4 key areas; housing, transport, bailiffs and council tax; are all issues our members have been campaigning on locally and are of high importance to our communities.
We held hustings and online actions to put our demands to candidates, and we'll be pushing the new Government to deliver the changes we need.
Renters' Rights Bill
In April 2019, Theresa May announced plans to reform private renting in England, in what was hailed as “the biggest change to the private rental sector for a generation.”
Since then, ACORN has been working within the Renters Reform Coalition, alongside Shelter, Citizens’ Advice, the Nationwide Foundation and others, campaigning to make any changes in the law as transformative and positive for renters as possible.
As part of the campaign so far ACORN members have attended parliament to speak to MPs about our proposals, given evidence to committees, addressed the Institute for Government and Public Policy with our platform, and members have also met with ministers and MPs.
We have rallied members in the constituencies of MPs who hold key ministerial positions or chair key parliamentary committees and groups, and mobilised hundreds of ACORN members from across the country for a 'Renters Day of Action' at Parliament.
The new Government has brought forward a new Renters' Rights Bill in July 2024, with ACORN giving evidence at the committee stage and helping table amendments around rent control measures. This new legislation is moving fast. Check back soon for updates...
Boot the Bailiffs
It was recently reported that two million people have been contacted by bailiffs during the cost of living crisis, with 3 in 4 people contacted by bailiffs saying it affected their mental health and left them feeling unsafe in their homes due to the intimidation and harassment deployed.
That's why ACORN is campaigning against councils using bailiffs to collect council tax and implement a more humane debt management system in Brighton, Haringey, Manchester and Nottingham, with ACORN Newcastle demanding that the biggest social housing provider in the city commits not to using bailiffs during the cost of living crisis. If you want to stay up to date or get involved with these campaigns, contact your local ACORN branch.
Landlord Licensing
A third of privately rented homes would fail the Decent Homes Standard and for years ACORN has used direct action to prevent revenge evictions and get repairs made to slum housing. Licensing of landlords provides some legal protection from eviction and extends council powers to inspect properties. Over the years ACORN has mobilised thousands of tenants and won major licensing schemes in Brighton, Bristol, Oxford, Newcastle and Sheffield, covering tens of thousands of renters. However there are still lots of places that are not yet covered and so we’re fighting to get these protections in place.
Our Branches in Cambridge, Leeds and Manchester are campaigning on landlord licensing now. Get in touch with them to join the campaign for proper regulation of landlords and decent living conditions for tenants.
Unlock our Public Toilets
From time to time everyone has had to rely on public toilets. We rely on them for our basic dignity at work, in our leisure time or travelling around our town or city. They are essential for those of us with disabilities, those with bowel and bladder conditions, those of us without a home, and the elderly. For this reason, both ACORN Brighton, Bristol and ACORN Newcastle have been campaigning to reopen public toilets closed by their respective city administrations. Head to their pages or get in touch to find out more about their campaigns.
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ACORN groups and branches across England and Wales are campaigning on a range of issues, from buses to swimming pools to housing. Head to the Contact page to get in touch or to get involved, or to stay up to date with them on social media.